September 14, 2020
Appeal review board chance to make difference
The new chief executive of Te Kāhui Tātari Ture, the Criminal Cases Review Commission, says the role gives her a chance to make a difference.
Parekawhia McLean has held senior positions in government sector and Māori organisations, and chairs Waikato Tainui’s governing body, Te Whakakitenga.
She says as a non-lawyer she feels honoured to be able to work alongside the high powered team assembled for the new commission, including some prominent Māori.
"We’ve got Professor Tracey McIntosh. We've got Kingi Snelgar who are both commissioners, so it's very much a team effort and it will be the board's role to make that determine whether or not, as we are going through the applications, they will be referred to the appropriate appeal court. My role is to support the chief commissioner and the board, giving them advice but ultimately they are the decision makers," Ms McLean says.
There are already about 40 applications to the commission from inmates who have exhausted every other appeal process.
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