New Zealand Executive Government News Release Archive

The Minister of Justice, Hon D.A.M. Graham, today announced that Hon Justice Heron had been appointed Chairperson of the Parole Board.

He replaces Hon Justice Thorp who resigned after 10 years as Chairperson. The Criminal Justice Act requires that the Chairperson of the Parole Board is a Judge of the High Court.

Justice Heron is currently a High Court Judge and a Member of the Criminal Appeal Division of the Court of Appeal. He is a former President of the Wellington District Law Society and a former member of the Legal Aid Appeal Authority.

Mr Graham also announced that Mr Mita Hikairo Mohi had been a appointed a member of the Parole Board to fill the vacancy created by the death of Mr Hohua Tutengaehe.

Mr Mohi is a kaumatua of Te Arawa descent and has had considerable experience with programmes in prisons. He is a Rotorua District Councillor, a polytechnic tutor and a member of the Maori Task Force Committee on the Hillary Commission.

Both appointments are for three years.

The Parole Board considers applications for parole from long-term offenders such as those serving life, preventive detention and finite sentences of seven years or more.

It also has the power to impose release conditions on inmates who are not eligible for parole, and to determine recall applications.

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