Lawyer, former unionist on advisory panel

A top lawyer, Chris Hodson QC (Above), and former unionist Angela Foulkes have been appointed to the first advisory panel to the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security.

A top lawyer, Chris Hodson QC, and former unionist Angela Foulkes have been appointed to the first advisory panel to the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security.

Mr Hodson will chair the panel.

The panel was created last year as one of the measures to increase monitoring of New Zealand's spy agencies.

The panel includes the Inspector-General, Cheryl Gwyn, and its role is to offer advice on her request or on its own initiative and may provide advice to the Prime Minister on any issue the panel thinks is necessary.

The appointments were made by the Governor-General on the advice of Prime Minister John Key.

Mr Key announced the appointments yesterday after consulting Parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee, as is required by law.

Mr Hodson is a practising barrister, the Judge Advocate General of the New Zealand Armed Forces, and the Chief Judge of the Court Martial of New Zealand. Ms Foulkes is a former vice-president and secretary of the Council of Trade Unions and has served on the board of the Reserve Bank.