Judicial Conduct Panel recommended in wool case

The Judicial Conduct Commissioner says there should be further investigation into the conduct of Supreme Court judge Justice Bill Wilson in the long running Saxmere wool case.

The commissioner, Sir David Gascoigne, has received three complaints about Justice Wilson's conduct in the Saxmere wool case.

Today he said there was no basis for dismissing the case.

However, he said he was unable to take the matter any further in a preliminary examination, and recommended a Judicial Conduct Panel examine the issue.

The recommendation would go to the Attorney-General.

The report said that it was taking the unusual step of making its findings public following the widespread publicity the case had received.

Justice Wilson, in a statement released shortly after the commissioner's, said he intended to speak with the Chief Justice early next week.

Until then he would make no further statement about the report.

Justice Wilson served as one of three Court of Appeal judges who, in 2007, overturned a High Court ruling which would have awarded wool growers group Saxmere repayment of $8 million in levies from the former Wool Board.

Justice Wilson had a personal and business relationship with the Wool Board's lawyer Alan Galbraith QC. They co-owned land in Waikato and bred horses together.

At the time of the Court of Appeal hearing Justice Wilson owed Mr Galbraith $242,804, something which was not disclosed to the court.

In November 2009 the Supreme Court ordered the Court of Appeal decision be set aside and the case re-heard in June this year on the grounds that Justice Wilson and Mr Galbraith's relationship could raise a perception of bias.

Former Court of Appeal judge Sir Edmund (Ted) Thomas said in an 18-page complaint to the Judicial Conduct Commissioner that what occurred had been "a serious breach of judicial ethics".

Judith Collins has attorney-general responsibilities as they specifically relate to complaints concerning Justice Wilson, as Attorney-General Chris Finlayson and Justice Wilson were both partners at the law firm Bell Gully in the 1990s.

She said today she had received the report of the Judicial Conduct Commissioner.

"There are a number of aspects of the report which need to be carefully considered. I will announce my response to the report in due course," she said.

- NZPA