Travel and Learning Award for Daniel Perkins

Supporting Daniel Perkins to travel to Canada for a three week study trip to undertake comparative research of practice and procedure for Charter of Rights and Freedoms litigation and share insights for New Zealand Declaration of Inconsistency litigation.

Borrin Foundation Travel and Learning Award

Daniel’s plan

Daniel will use his Borrin Foundation Travel and Learning Award to undertake comparative research in human rights litigation practice and procedure. He will travel to Canada where he proposes to meet with the judiciary, legal profession, litigants (including NGOs that engage in public interest litigation), government officials and academics to explore what works (and doesn’t work) when litigating under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. His findings will inform presentations and recommendations to New Zealand stakeholders about reforms to practice and procedure in human rights litigation, especially in our Senior Courts. He hopes the development of clear and fair procedures—especially in proceedings in which declarations of inconsistency with the Bill of Rights Act are sought—will promote efficient use of litigants’ and court resources, improving access to justice in this developing area of law.

About Daniel

Daniel is a Senior Crown Counsel in Constitutional and Human Rights at the Crown Law Office. He has degrees of BA, LLB (Hons) and LLM from The University of Melbourne. He commenced his legal career in Australia, working in the private, public and community sectors. Since emigrating to Aotearoa New Zealand and joining Crown Law in 2012, Daniel has acted for the Crown in several leading human rights cases, including those which have developed the remedy of declarations of inconsistency with the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990. He has also acted as Chief Legal Officer at the State Services Commission, was the first Legal Adviser to the All-of-Government Covid-19 Response and was recently Acting Director of Te Kura Kaiwhakawā | The Institute of Judicial Studies.

Grant Amount

$10,000 in 2024 to support travel

“Our country is at its best when it is curious about, and engaged with the rest of the world. Judge Borrin’s legacy will enable me to learn from others’ experiences, informing discussions about what might work in our unique conditions.”

– Daniel Perkins