Launch of New Zealand Constitutional and Administrative Law (2nd Ed)

Abstract

These are the notes for Lord Cooke’s speech at the launch of Philip Joseph’s second edition of Constitutional and Administrative Law in New Zealand at the Grand Hall of Parliament in Wellington on 10 October 2001. Lord Cooke begins by commenting on his surroundings, and the events of the recent week (noting that a re-shuffle of the New Zealand Cabinet has just taken place). He then discusses developments in the second edition, including New Zealand’s adoption of the Mixed Member Proportional voting system and the rise of constitutional review, as well as hinting at a “new confidence” in the author himself. Lord Cooke then muses on “the best legal text book ever written,” commenting fondly on several great legal authors. Lord Cooke concludes by commending Philip Joseph’s second edition as “unifying but balanced.” Abstract by Tim Cochrane.

Keywords: Lord Cooke, Philip Joseph, Constitutional and Administrative Law in New Zealand, Mixed Member Proportional, constitutional review