NRI, judge Anand Satyanand appointed Gov-general of NZ

AUCKLAND, April 03, 2006
Abrar Alvi

NRI, Anand Satyanand, a former ombudsman and judge, has been appointed of New Zealand’s next governor-general.

Judge Satyanand will take over the country's top post from Dame Silvia Cartwright who had her five year term extended last year because the end of it coincided with the general election

Mostly all governors-general so far have been of European or Maori extraction.

Judge Satyanand had two five-year terms as ombudsman, retired in February in 2005

2005

Judge Anand Satyanand receives the insignia of a Distinguished Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit from Governor-General Dame Silvia Cartwright at an investiture ceremony at Government House

• Judge Satyanand's full citation reads: "For public services, lately as an Ombudsman. Judge Satyanand was an Ombudsman for 10 years until February 2005 and was previously a District Court Judge for 13 years
  
  
• Judge Anand Satyanand, DCNZM, recently completed a second five year term as a Parliamentary Ombudsman. His work in that role covered maladministration – dealing with complaints about unfairness or similar on the part of government officials, calling for assessment of governance processes and how they might best be conducted. He also worked in the freedom of information jurisdiction dealing with cases about the release of information whether by ministries or agencies involved with policy or those in the regulatory field. Both aspects have enabled him to understand and ensure accountability and transparency mechanisms. In his time this work included Social Welfare, Education, Health, Fisheries, Police and Inland Revenue