News:
Judge Hastings was selected via a Government of Kiribati recruitment process as the new Chief Justice. Judge Hastings will act as the Chief Justice for three and a half years on secondment from the District Court of New Zealand, undertaking the functions of a Chief Justice while also acting as a High Court Judge and hearing cases.
New Zealand values the importance of strong and independent judicial systems across the Pacific. The secondment of Judge Hastings recognises the strong relationship between New Zealand and Kiribati and our shared values on important issues such as access to justice.
Judge Hastings is an accomplished judge who has served as a New Zealand District Court Judge since 2010 and is chair of the Broadcasting Standards Authority. Prior to that, he held the role as Chief Censor for over 10 years. Judge Hastings holds law degrees from Osgoode Hall Law School, the London School of Economics and Duke University. He has been a senior lecturer and the Deputy Dean of Law at Victoria University of Wellington.