Tribunal members lose own case

Employment Tribunal members dumped when New Zealand's labour laws changed have lost their own case to be paid out for the term of their four-year contracts.

Eight of the nine members are still working under transitional provisions but their temporary appointments expire at the end of January next year.

All nine sued the Attorney-General after a compensation request was turned down.

In a judgment released yesterday from the High Court at Wellington, Justice Goddard said their present situation, though unfortunate, wasn't able to be compensated for either as an existing right, in contract, or under statute.

If the members had won their case, the Government would likely have faced a multimillion-dollar payout.

The nine were appointed or reappointed as Employment Tribunal members on four-year terms during 1999 under the Employment Contracts Act (ECA).

Last October, the Employment Relations Act came into force and repealed the ECA.