Pacific / Tokelau

Academic sees merit in High Court sitting in Tokelau

09:03 am on 30 April 2018

An academic says there should be discussion on the merits of the High Court of Tokelau sitting in Tokelau rather than New Zealand.

Photo: kunilanskap/123RF

The matter was raised last week by two former government officials who are suing the Tokelau Government for unjust dismissal after being blamed for the purchase of two helicopters.

The men want the case heard in Tokelau because they said some witnesses could not travel to New Zealand, effectively denying the men justice.

But they also said this lack of access could have an impact on a number of other cases.

The director of Massey University's Pasifika Centre, Malakai Koloamatangi, said there was merit in the suggestion.

"I think it is probably a good way to think about the future and the way that justice is brought about in the islands and small communities, how the judicial system could be adapted, as appropriate, for these small communities and small islands to make justice more accessible for them and it would be good to look at how Tokelau might handle that ."