Chief Legal Officer appointed to national legislation advisory committee

Appointed by the Attorney-General, Legislation Design and Advisory Committee members come from across the public and private sectors to bring expertise in law and policy. They include public servants, regulators, academics and practicing lawyers.

The Committee’s role is to promote quality legislation by advising departments early in the development of policy and legislation, reviewing Bills before Parliament, and maintaining the Legislation Guidelines – which set standards for clear, consistent and effective law-making across government.

Emily says the appointment is an opportunity to contribute to the foundations of strong, people-centred government.

“Much like the role of lawyers and legal support is critical to good decision-making, LDAC promotes legislation that helps give decision-makers clear, practical frameworks for making sound choices,” she says.

“Good legislation is essential. While it needs to be precise which means it can be complex, wherever possible the goal is to make law accessible and easy to read.

“If someone can pick up a piece of legislation and understand it without needing a lawyer to interpret, that’s a good outcome. Clear law helps people navigate their rights and responsibilities and reduces the need for litigation.”

The Legislation Guidelines are a key resource for legal teams and policymakers across the public sector. They offer practice advice and principles for developing consistent, fair and rights-based laws. 

“From when I was baby lawyer, I used the Guidelines to help me do my job. I saw early on how useful they are,” Emily says.

“At a certain point I realised my boss was on the Committee, and I thought it would be really interesting and important to be a part of that work.”

Having spent much of her career developing and advising on legislation – a process she enjoys – Emily is looking forward to the broader perspective the role offers.

“I’ve worked in a couple of departments, and this is a chance to see lawmaking across the whole of government. It’s an opportunity to learn, see more the bigger picture, and gain insight into how others do things,” she says.

“I’m looking forward to working with people who are smart, think deeply about these issues, and bring different perspectives.

“We have a great legal team at Oranga Tamariki, which I love being part of – and I see this role as an extension of that government legal whānau.”