Brenda Heather-Latu

{{use dmy dates|date=April 2018}}

{{short description|Samoan lawyer and jurist}}

{{Infobox officeholder

|honorific-prefix =

|name = Brenda Heather-Latu

|honorific-suffix = {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|MBE}}

|image =

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|office = Attorney-General of Samoa

|primeminister = Tofilau Eti Alesana
Tuila'epa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi

|term_start = 3 May 1997

|term_end = 4 December 2006

|predecessor =

|successor = Ming Leung Wai

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|spouse = George Latu

|education = Victoria University of Wellington

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}}

Taulapapa Brenda Heather-Latu {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|MBE}} (born 23 December 1961){{cn|date=May 2021}} is a New Zealand-born Samoan lawyer and a former Attorney-General of Samoa. She was the first woman to serve as attorney general,{{cite web |url=https://newslinesamoa.com/news-break-new-attorney-general-appointed/ |title=NEWS BREAK : New Attorney General Appointed |publisher=Newsline Samoa |date=22 July 2020 |access-date=31 May 2021 |quote=Mareva would only be the second woman appointed to head the legal office. Taulapapa Brenda Heather-Latu is the first}} and the first New Zealand-born Samoan to head a Government department in Apia.{{Cite news |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/samoans-look-for-easier-entry-to-new-zealand/M5YSUEHCFTBEYLQSAQW23OGKGY/ |title=Samoans look for easier entry to New Zealand |author=Angela Gregory |date=4 August 2004 |work=New Zealand Herald |access-date=31 May 2021 |language=en-NZ |issn=1170-0777}} She is married to former dual international rugby player and lawyer George Latu.{{cite web |url=https://www.samoaobserver.ws/category/samoa/71829 |title=Taulapapa new Chair of Oceania Rugby Judicial Committee |author=Tina Mata'afa-Tufele |publisher=Samoa Observer |date=2 October 2020 |access-date=31 May 2021}}

Heather-Latu was born in Wellington, New Zealand. She attended Clyde Quay School in Mount Victoria, Wellington (1967–1974) and Wellington Girls' College in Thorndon (1975–1979){{cn|date=May 2021}} before completing degrees in arts and law at Victoria University of Wellington in 1985 and 1986.{{cite web |url=https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/law/news-and-events/news/three-generations-of-samoan-legal-scholarship |title=Three generations of Samoan scholarship at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington |publisher=Victoria University of Wellington |date=30 March 2021 |access-date=31 May 2021}} She was admitted to the bar as a barrister and solicitor in February 1987.{{Cite news|url=http://samoanbios.com/brenda-heather-latu/|title=Brenda Heather-Latu|date=2012-07-04|work=SAMOAN BIOS|access-date=2018-04-06|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180402230137/http://samoanbios.com/brenda-heather-latu/|archive-date=2 April 2018|url-status=dead}} She first worked in the Legal Division of the Dept of Education Head Office in Wellington as a law clerk (1985–1987).{{cn|date=June 2021}} She subsequently worked in the Crown Law Office from 1988 until 1996 and where she was appointed a Crown Counsel from 1991 to 1996. In 1996 she resigned and moved to Apia, Samoa under the NZ Staffing Assistance aid programme to assist the Samoa Attorney General. She was subsequently appointed Attorney General of Samoa in May 1997. In June 1998 Prime Minister Tofilau Eti Alesana called on her to resign for allegedly leaking advice that three government contracts had not been properly tendered, including the lack of any bidding process for the construction of a $500,000 government prayer house.{{cite web |url=http://www.pireport.org/articles/1998/06/30/samoa-pm-calls-attorney-general-resign |title=SAMOA PM CALLS ON ATTORNEY GENERAL TO RESIGN |publisher=Pacific Islands Report |date=30 June 1998 |access-date=31 May 2021}} As attorney general she prosecuted the Luagalau Levaula Kamu assassination case, resulting in the conviction of the shooter and two former Ministers for murder.{{cite web |url=http://www.pireport.org/articles/2000/01/20/i-want-you-kill-luagalau-samoa-murder-trial-under-way |title="I WANT YOU TO KILL LUAGALAU": SAMOA MURDER TRIAL UNDER WAY |publisher=Pacific Islands Report |date=20 January 2000 |access-date=31 May 2021}} In 2004 she assisted the Public Service Commission in charging Ministry of Health Chief Executive Lolofie Taulealeausumai Enosa under the Public Service Act{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/151353/ceo-of-samoa's-health-ministry-given-21-days-to-respond-to-45-charges-laid-against-him |title=CEO of Samoa's Health Ministry given 21 days to respond to 45 charges laid against him |publisher=RNZ |date=25 October 2004 |access-date=2 June 2021}}{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/151388/samoa's-attorney-general-says-charges-against-senior-bureaucrat-have-had-a-huge-impact |title=Samoa's Attorney General says charges against senior bureaucrat have had a huge impact |publisher=RNZ |date=26 October 2004 |access-date=31 May 2021}} after he was suspended for fraud.{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/150820/senior-samoa-health-boss-suspended-in-fraud-probe |title=Senior Samoa health boss suspended in fraud probe |publisher=RNZ |date=22 September 2004 |access-date=4 June 2021}} When his contract ended before the charges had been fully investigated, she advised that the charges must be dropped given the allegations were unproven.{{cite web |url=http://www.pireport.org/articles/2004/12/21/charges-dropped-against-samoa-health-director |title=CHARGES DROPPED AGAINST SAMOA HEALTH DIRECTOR |publisher=Pacific Islands Report |date=21 December 2004 |access-date=2 June 2021 |quote=The Commission has received legal advice from the Attorney General that the Public Service charges against Lolofie cannot now be heard because the Commission's authority to hear the charges lapsed when Lolofie's contract expired}} She later advocated for changes to adoption law{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/155754/samoa-plans-to-review-adoption-law |title=Samoa plans to review adoption law |publisher=RNZ |date=20 June 2005 |access-date=31 May 2021}} and for a specialist fraud unit{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/163999/samoa-opposition-leader-says-country-needs-fraud-unit |title=Samoa opposition leader says country needs fraud unit |publisher=RNZ |date=14 August 2006 |access-date=31 May 2021}} and transnational crime unit.{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/143431/samoa-sets-up-crossborder-crimes-unit |title=Samoa sets up crossborder crimes unit |publisher=RNZ |date=2 May 2003 |access-date=2 June 2021}} She resigned in August 2006 after criticism from the PM and Cabinet over her handling of an election petition against the then-Health Minister Mulitalo Siafausa Vui where her submissions that the Minister had clearly breached electoral provisions saw him lose his seat for bribery.{{Cite news |url=https://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/164308/samoa's-attorney-general-and-assistant-attorney-general-both-resign |title=Samoa's attorney general and assistant attorney general both resign |date=26 August 2006 |work=RNZ |access-date=31 May 2021 |language=en-nz}} After multiple failed attempts to find a replacement,{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/164892/samoa-government-cancels-appointment-of-new-attorney-general |title=Samoa government cancels appointment of new Attorney General |publisher=RNZ |date=25 September 2006 |access-date=2 June 2021}}{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/164741/samoa-government-appoints-new-attorney-general |title=Samoa government appoints new attorney general |publisher=RNZ |date=4 November 2006 |access-date=2 June 2021}} she was eventually replaced by Ming Leung Wai.{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/166023/samoa-government-finally-gets-a-new-attorney-general |title=Samoa government finally gets a new Attorney General |publisher=RNZ |date=11 November 2006 |access-date=2 June 2021}}

Following her resignation she served as the inaugural chair of the newly established Samoa National Health Services Board from 2007 to 2009 and was a director and alternate chair of the board of Virgin Samoa from 2005 to 2012.{{cite web |url=https://www.pln.com.au/single-post/profiling-women-on-boards-in-the-pacific-taulapapa-brenda-heather-latu |title=Profiling Women on Boards in the Pacific: Taulapapa Brenda Heather-Latu |publisher=Pacific Legal Network |date= 9 March 2021|access-date=31 May 2021}} She is currently a director of Habitat for Humanity (New Zealand) and the International Centre for Democratic Partnerships, and chair of the Pacific Leadership Foundation.{{cn|date=May 2021}} She is also a serving Judicial Officer for World Rugby, the current chair of the Oceania Rugby Judicial Committee, and Honorary Consul for Great Britain and Northern Ireland to Samoa.{{Cite web|url=http://www.cscaustralia.com/ep14/medi/STReportSamoa.pdf|title=Emerging Pacific Leaders Dialogue 2014 |date=|website=|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=6 April 2018}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.mfat.gov.ws/embassies/overseas-honorary-consuls-samoa/|title=Overseas Honorary Consuls in Samoa - Samoa Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade|work=Samoa Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade|access-date=2018-04-06|language=en-US}} She was bestowed the chiefly title of ‘Taulapapa’ from the village of Fogapoa in 2015.

In October 2019 Taulapapa was appointed by the Judicial Service Commission to investigate complaints made against three suspended Lands and Titles Court judges,{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/400187/taulapapa-to-lead-investigation-of-suspended-samoa-judges |title=Taulapapa to lead investigation of suspended Samoa judges |publisher=RNZ |date=3 October 2019 |access-date=31 May 2021}} resulting in two being dismissed and one being forced to retire.{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/402063/two-samoa-lands-and-titles-court-judges-sacked |title=Two Samoa Lands and Titles court judges sacked |publisher=RNZ |date=30 October 2019 |access-date=31 May 2021}}

She chaired the Samoa Law Society subcommittee which opposed the HRPP's controversial constitutional amendments, and in 2021 said that the law was a "direct and egregious attack on our Constitutional freedoms".{{cite web |url=https://www.samoaobserver.ws/category/samoa/81897 |title=Laws dismantle justice, attack freedoms: former A.G. |publisher=Samoa Observer |author=Sapeer Mayron |date=3 April 2021 |access-date=31 May 2021}}

Heather-Latu represented the FAST Party with New Zealand barrister Ben Keith in court cases following the 2021 Samoan general election,{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/443169/samoa-supreme-court-hears-fast-party-challenge |title=Samoa Supreme Court hears FAST party challenge |publisher=RNZ |date=23 May 2021 |access-date=31 May 2021}} and acted as the acting clerk of the Legislative Assembly when the clerk refused to undertake his functions for the party's makeshift swearing-in ceremony during the 2021 Samoan constitutional crisis.{{cite web |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/world/south-pacific/125225024/samoa-election-turmoil-samoas-caretaker-pm-tuilaepa-gives-blistering-speech-as-fast-partys-fiame-naomi-mataafa-sworn-in-as-new-pm |title=Samoa election turmoil: Samoa's caretaker PM Tuilaepa gives blistering speech as FAST Party's Fiame Naomi Mata'afa sworn in as new PM |author=Sapeer Mayron |publisher=Stuff |date=24 May 2021 |access-date=31 May 2021}} The ceremony and the swearing in were later upheld by the Court of Appeal in a case brought by the Attorney-General against Heather-Latu, her husband and FAST leaders and successfully defended by Keith and Apia lawyer Muriel Lui.{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/447546/samoa-court-declares-fast-party-new-government |title=Samoa court declares FAST party new government |publisher=RNZ |date=23 July 2021 |access-date=3 March 2025}} Heather-Latu and Keith later successfully prosecuted the former Prime Minister for contempt of court.{{cite web |url=https://samoaglobalnews.com/court-hears-apologies-from-hrpp-members-senior-lawyer-and-broadcaster-for-statements-that-undermined-public-confidence-in-courts-and-judges11/ |title=Court Hears Apologies from HRPP Members, a Senior Lawyer and Broadcaster for Statements that Undermined Public Confidence in Courts and Judges |publisher=samoa Global News |date=1 March 2022 |access-date=3 March 2025}}

Heather-Latu was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2024 New Year Honours for services to British Nationals in Samoa.{{London Gazette|issue=64269|supp=y|page=N28|date=30 December 2023}}