Te Uepū | Advisory Group

Kerry James “Chester” Borrows has held positions that have given him a unique insight and considerable experience of the justice sector. As a police officer, prosecutor, and defence counsel, Chester frequently defended those he had previously prosecuted. He is also a former politician and member of Parliament from 2005 to 2017, and held a wide range of ministerial portfolios – most notably as Minister for Courts, Associate Minister of Justice, and Associate Minister of Social Development. Chester was also responsible for writing the Youth Crime Action Plan, and was Chair of the Cross Parliamentary Human Rights Committee. He has a keen interest in restorative justice and is currently also the Chair for the Restorative Cities Project in Whanganui which is focused on creating an environment for all Whanganui people to thrive and succeed together through respectful relationships.

Quentin is a lawyer with over 25 years of experience across a broad range of legal practice. He has a particular interest in criminal justice issues.  He is also a director of Ngāi Tahu Holdings Limited, one of South Island's larger investment companies. He is also a member of the main governance board for Ngāi Tahu, a director and deputy chair of ESR (a Crown research institute) and a director of Dunedin City Holdings Limited.  He is also a board member for Presbyterian Support South Canterbury. His previous roles include chairing Ngāti Manawa Development Limited, Westland Holdings Limited and Trust Aoraki Limited and being a director of Hunter Downs Water Limited; as well as holding a ministerial appointment to the South Canterbury District Health Board.

Carwyn is of Ngāti Kahungunu descent and is a Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Law at Victoria University of Wellington. His research and teaching is focused on legal issues affecting Māori and other Indigenous peoples and he has published widely on these topics. Before joining Victoria University’s Law faculty in 2006, he worked in a number of different roles at the Waitangi Tribunal, Māori Land Court, and the Office of Treaty Settlements.

Tracey is of Tūhoe descent and is a Professor of Indigenous Studies and Co-Head of Te Wānanga o Waipapa (School of Māori Studies and Pacific Studies) at the University of Auckland. She was the former Co-Director of Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga New Zealand’s Māori Centre of Research Excellence. Her recent research focused on incarceration (particularly of Māori and Indigenous peoples), gang whānau issues and issues pertaining to poverty, inequality and social justice. In 2012 she served as the co-chair of the Children’s Commissioner’s Expert Advisory Group on Solutions to Child Poverty.

Ruth is an Independent Victims Advocate, providing 24/7 personal advocacy support for many survivors of serious crime who interact with the criminal justice system. Since 2012, she has voluntarily supported victims and survivors through the many and varied components of the justice system. Her work is focused on ensuring the ‘system’ does not re-victimise or add any more distress to the already traumatized person or family. Her significant experience in working with victims include; supporting victims to write Victim Impact Statements, submissions and attendance in parole hearings and arranging victim meetings with Crown Prosecutors to understand early resolution proposals.

Shila is a Senior Advisor & Counsellor with Shakti, a national not-for-profit organisation specialising in addressing family violence.  A social justice and human rights advocate, she has presented at national and international forums including the United Nations. Her New Zealand journey began 16 years ago as a volunteer, eventually becoming Shakti’s National Coordinator.  For the last 10 years she has been practicing as a counsellor/therapist.  She has been a member of the ministerial reference group working on the development of the Vulnerable Children’s Act and was on the Critical Friends Panel on family violence.  Prior to her current career, she was a journalist in India for 15 years.  She holds a Master’s Degree in Counselling from Auckland University, as well as a Bachelor's Degree in Arts and a post-graduate Diploma in Journalism from Bombay University.

Julia is of Ngāti Porou descent and is a Senior Advisor at the Office of the Children’s Commissioner and is the spokesperson for JustSpeak. Julia is a passionate advocate for systemic change in the criminal justice system and has been involved in the Community Law movement over the past 8 years as the National Māori Co-ordinator, lawyer and advocate. 

This year, she led a delegation of young Māori to the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues in New York and presented an intervention calling for criminal justice reform. Julia has a deep understanding of the complex social justice issues that have not met the needs of children and young people entering the criminal justice system.

Julia believes in the power of young people’s experiences and voices to be powerful agents for change. She is the proudest aunty to five and imagines an Aotearoa where her whanau, and children of future generations have an equal opportunity to imagine and reach their potential.