Just as he promised former Justice Minister has returned to the law, joining a Lower Hutt-based law firm.
The former Labour leader, Minister and union leader, has a wide range of experience across the public law spectrum.
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The former unionist lead the Labour Party from 2014 to 2017 and as a minister in the Ardern government from 2017 to 2023.
Receiving the ‘angry Andrew’ moniker for his often unvarnished telling of the truth, and generally underrated as a publicity-shunning operator.
He is, as Post political writer Luke Malpass said and as we had reported earlier, someone who was both selfless and someone who “marched to his own tune” . . “giving often frank and unburnished answers to questions.”
Little was a former senior minister and Minister of Justice from 2017 until 2020 he holds an influence within the profession that he dealt with frequently, including his time as Minister of Courts. He is intensely familiar with the profession and many of the major legal issues that he was involved during his time with the Labour government.
He lead the call to reduce the New Zealand prison population by 30 percent the to dump the controversial three strikes law, which both became central issues in last year’s election.
Apart from his work creating the mega-health entity, Te Whatu ora, Health NZ, he had strong legal and administrative connections with other developments in New Zealand including the re-entry to Pike River and Treaty negotiations for six years, including treaty claims.
He also oversaw the removal from the Crimes Act 1961 of abortion, permitting abortion for women within 20 weeks of pregnancy.
In the wake of the Pike River disaster, he attempted to pass a private members’ bill in 2010 to create a new offence of corporate manslaughter, The Crimes (Corporate Manslaughter) Amendment Bill.
He was also lead minister for the Government’s response to the Christchurch mosque attacks.
He joins Gibson Sheat.
