Peter Skelton (judge)
{{Short description|New Zealand judge and commissioner (born 1939)}}
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{{Infobox judge
| name = Sir Peter Skelton
| honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=NZL|KNZM|size=100%}}
| image = Peter Skelton (cropped).jpg
| alt = portrait photo of an old man wearing glasses
| caption = Skelton in 2011
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| birth_name = Peter Robert Skelton
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1939|10|13|df=y}}
| birth_place = Christchurch, New Zealand
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| education = LLB (1965)
| alma_mater = University of Auckland
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Sir Peter Robert Skelton {{post-nominals|country=NZL|KNZM|size=85%}} (born 13 October 1939) is a retired judge of the Environment Court in New Zealand. After retiring from the bench, he taught environmental law at Lincoln University for some years in the early 2000s. From 2010 to 2019, he was a government-appointed commissioner at Environment Canterbury. He was knighted in the 2025 New Year Honours, for services to environmental law.
Early life
Skelton was born on 13 October 1939 in Christchurch, New Zealand.{{cite book |title=Who's Who in New Zealand, 1991 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=6x8OAQAAMAAJ |last1=Lambert |first1=Max |year=1991 |edition=12th |publisher=Octopus |location=Auckland|isbn = 9780790001302 |pages=583–584}} His parents were George Arthur Skelton and Helen Ainslie Dundas ({{nee|Paterson}}). He was educated at Cashmere Primary School and then Christ's College, where he was student number 6219.{{cite web |title=Peter Skelton CNZM – Chief Freshwater Commissioner |url= https://christscollege.com/ccoba/latest-news/peter-skelton-cnzm-chief-freshwater-commissioner |publisher=Christ's College |access-date=31 December 2024 |date=22 September 2020}} At Christ's, he was awarded colours for tennis and athletics, focussing on middle-distance running. He also played basketball. He studied at the University of Auckland and graduated with a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree in 1965. While at Auckland, he was a member of the university basketball team from 1959 to 1962.
Professional career
Skelton started his legal career in 1959 when he joined the Auckland law firm Rennie Cox and Garlick as a law clerk while attending university. From 1965 to 1975, Skelton was a with the Hamilton legal firm Harkness Henry and Co as a barrister. From 1975 to 1978, he was a barrister sole.{{efn|A barrister sole is a law professional who practices on their own, not attached to a law firm.}} His work involved town planning, country planning, and environmental issues. As a barrister sole, he had intended to specialise in personal injury law, but this was stymied by the introduction of the introduction of New Zealand's no-fault accidental injury compensation scheme administered by the Accident Compensation Corporation. He consequently focused on environmental law. During his time in Hamilton, he was a member of the Hamilton District Law Society Council. In 1969, he helped organise the Law Society Centennial Conference.{{cite web |last1=Rickard |first1=Andrea |title=2012 Awards Report |url= https://www.rmla.org.nz/news/2012-awards-report |publisher=Resource Management Law Association of New Zealand |access-date=31 December 2024}}
In 1978, Skelton was appointed as judge for what was to become the District Court and the Planning Tribunal. He was based in Christchurch and was the first judge of the Planning Tribunal in the South Island; up until then, the Planning Tribunal had been based in Auckland and Wellington only. Through the introduction of the Resource Management Act 1991, the Planning Tribunal became the Environment Court in 1996.{{cite web |title=History of the court |url= https://www.environmentcourt.govt.nz/about/history/ |publisher=Environment Court of New Zealand |access-date=31 December 2024}} Skelton retired as a judge in 2000. It is estimated that he made over 1000 judgements in his 22 years on the bench.
Upon his retirement from the bench, Skelton was invited by Lincoln University to teach environmental law. He took up the invitation and was made an associate professor, teaching environmental law from February 2000.{{cite press release |last=Collins |first=Ian |date=9 December 1999 |title=9 December 1999 Judge's Appointment a Fillip for Resources Teaching and Research at Lincoln |url= https://livingheritage.lincoln.ac.nz/nodes/view/5533 |location=Lincoln |publisher=Lincoln University |access-date=31 December 2024}} He retired from teaching in October 2005 after nearly six years in that job.{{cite web |last1=Skelton |first1=Peter |title=19 December 2005 Academic Life Provides a Reality Check – Opinion editorial by Peter Skelton |url=https://livingheritage.lincoln.ac.nz/nodes/view/8466 |publisher=Lincoln University |access-date=31 December 2024 |date=19 December 2005}} The university later made him an honorary professor.
In March 2010, the John Key National Government sacked the Environment Canterbury councillors{{cite news|last=Gorman|first=Paul |title=ECan councillors sacked |url= http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/3527341/ECan-councillors-sacked |access-date=31 December 2024 |work=The Press |date=30 March 2010}} and replaced them with seven commissioners, of which Skelton was one.{{cite web |title=About the Commissioners |url= http://ecan.govt.nz/about-us/your-council/commissioners/Pages/about.aspx |publisher=Environment Canterbury |accessdate=17 August 2010 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150610220400/http://ecan.govt.nz/about-us/your-council/commissioners/pages/about.aspx |archive-date=10 June 2015 |url-status=dead}} Skelton was appointed for three terms as a commissioner and served until the 2019 local elections, when the regional council reverted to a fully elected body.
The Freshwater Planning Process was established by the Resource Management Amendment Act 2020 and is facilitated by the Office of the Chief Freshwater Commissioner.{{Cite web |date=2020-06-01 |title=Essential Freshwater: A new Freshwater Planning Process factsheet |url= https://environment.govt.nz/publications/essential-freshwater-a-new-freshwater-planning-process-factsheet/ |access-date=2024-12-31 |publisher=Ministry for the Environment}} Skelton was appointed as the inaugural chief commissioner in 2020; he retired in 2022 after 18 months in the role and was replaced by Environment Court judge Laurie Newhook.{{Cite web |last=Parker |first=David |date=7 July 2020 |title=Freshwater commissioners and fast-track consenting convenor appointed |url=https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/freshwater-commissioners-and-fast-track-consenting-convenor-appointed |access-date=2023-09-27 |website=The Beehive |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Parker |first=David |date=17 February 2022 |title=Chief Freshwater Commissioner and Commissioners in place |url=https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/chief-freshwater-commissioner-and-commissioners-place |access-date=2023-09-27 |website=The Beehive |language=en}}
Other activities
Skelton has served as an executive member of the National Old People's Welfare Council and a member of the National Marriage Guidance Council. He has also been a member of the Waikato Anglican Synod and the General Synod of the Church of the Province of New Zealand.
Honours and awards
In 1990, Skelton received the New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal.{{cite book |last1=Taylor |first1=Alister |last2=Coddington |first2=Deborah |author-link1=Alister Taylor |author-link2=Deborah Coddington |title=Honoured by the Queen – New Zealand |year=1994 |publisher=New Zealand Who's Who Aotearoa |location=Auckland |isbn=0-908578-34-2 |page=339}} After Skelton's retirement as a judge, the New Zealand Planning Institute awarded him the Alfred O. Glasse Award "for outstanding services to planning other than in a professional capacity" in mid-2000.{{cite magazine |author= |title=NZ Planning Institute award to Peter Skelton |url= https://livingheritage.lincoln.ac.nz/nodes/view/94833 |magazine=Infolinc |location=Lincoln, New Zealand |publisher=Lincoln University |date=31 August 2000 |access-date=31 December 2024 |volume=8 |issue=8 |page=3}} Later that year, he was appointed Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (CNZM), for services to environmental law, in the 2001 New Year Honours.{{cite web | url= https://dpmc.govt.nz/publications/new-year-honours-list-2001 | title=New Year honours list 2001 |date=30 December 2000 | publisher=Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet | access-date=31 December 2024}} In 2013, the New Zealand Resource Management Law Association awarded Skelton the Principal Judge John Bollard Lifetime Commemorative Award, an occasionally presented honour for exceptional individuals.{{cite magazine |last=Fisher |first=Kelly |date=2013 |title=Awards |url= https://journals.lincoln.ac.nz/index.php/LPR/article/download/697/536/0 |magazine=Lincoln Planning Review |location=Lincoln |publisher=Lincoln University |access-date=31 December 2024 |volume=4 |issue=2 |page=62}} On 8 April 2016, Lincoln University conferred an honorary degree of Doctor of Natural Resources on Skelton.{{cite web |title=2016 Graduation Programme |url= https://livingheritage.lincoln.ac.nz/nodes/view/7657 |publisher=Lincoln University |access-date=31 December 2024 |page=6}} In the 2025 New Year Honours, Skelton was promoted to Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to environmental law.{{cite news |last1=Harvie |first1=Will |title=Canterbury's newest knight: Environment lawyer Peter Skelton |url= https://www.thepress.co.nz/nz-news/360532308/canterburys-newest-knight-environment-lawyer-peter-skelton |access-date=31 December 2024 |work=The Press |date=31 December 2024}}{{cite web |url= https://www.dpmc.govt.nz/publications/new-year-honours-list-2025 |title=New Year honours list 2025 |date=31 December 2024 |publisher=Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet |access-date=31 December 2024}}
Personal life
In 1962, Skelton married Elizabeth Kathleen Carter (known by her middle name). They were to have two sons and one daughter. Since 1979, the Skeltons have lived in the Christchurch suburb of Fendalton.
Footnotes
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