Silvia Cartwright

{{Short description|Governor-General of New Zealand from 2001 to 2006}}

{{Infobox officeholder

|honorific-prefix = The Honourable

|name = Dame Silvia Cartwright

|image = Governor-General Silvia Cartwright.jpg

|honorific-suffix = {{postnominals|country=NZL|size=100%|ONZa|PCNZMa|DBE|QSO|DStJ}}

|order = 18th

|office = Governor-General of New Zealand

|monarch = Elizabeth II

|primeminister = Helen Clark

|term_start = 4 April 2001

|term_end = 4 August 2006

|predecessor = Sir Michael Hardie Boys

|successor = Sir Anand Satyanand

|order2 = 3rd Chief District Court judge

|term_start2 = 1989

|term_end2 = 1993

|predecessor2 = Peter Trapski

|successor2 = Ron Young

|birth_name = Silvia Rose Poulter

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1943|11|7|df=y}}

|birth_place = Dunedin, New Zealand

|death_date =

|death_place =

|spouse = {{marriage|Peter Cartwright|1969|2019|end=d.}}

|alma_mater = University of Otago

}}

Dame Silvia Rose Cartwright {{postnominals|country=NZL|ONZa|PCNZMa|DBE|QSO|DStJ}} (née Poulter; born 7 November 1943) is a New Zealand jurist who served as the 18th governor-general of New Zealand, from 2001 to 2006. She was the second woman to hold the office, after Dame Catherine Tizard.

Early life

Cartwright is a former student at Otago Girls' High School, and is a graduate of the University of Otago, where she gained her Bachelor of Laws degree in 1967.

Public life

=Legal career=

In 1989, Cartwright became the first female Chief District Court Judge, and in 1993 she was the first woman to be appointed to the High Court.{{cite press release |url=http://www.beehive.govt.nz/node/8301 |title=PM welcomes Governor-General-designate |publisher=New Zealand Government |date=24 August 2000 |accessdate=7 August 2010}}

Cartwright presided over a 1988 inquiry into issues related to cervical cancer and its treatment at Auckland's National Women's Hospital, known as the Cartwright Inquiry. Cartwright has previously served on the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, and played a major role in the drafting of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.{{cite web |url=https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/ior51/004/1997/en/ |title=The Optional Protocol to the Women's Convention: Enabling Women to Claim their Rights at the International Level |publisher=Amnesty International |year=1997 |accessdate=7 August 2010 }}{{cite journal |author=Silvia Cartwright |title=Rights and Remedies: The Drafting of an Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women |journal=Otago Law Review |volume=9 |pages=239 |year=1998}}

In 2007, in recognition for Cartwright's work as a lawyer, the Auckland Women Lawyers' Association established a lecture known as the Dame Silvia Cartwright Lecture Series.{{cite web|author=Auckland District Law Society – Law News|url=http://www.adls.org.nz/profession/lawnews/2007/issueno24/ln2401.asp|title=Dame Silvia – making a difference to our world|date=6 July 2007|accessdate=11 July 2007 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927222138/http://www.adls.org.nz/profession/lawnews/2007/issueno24/ln2401.asp |archivedate=27 September 2007}}

=Governor-General of New Zealand=

Cartwright's term as Governor-General of New Zealand was from 4 April 2001 to 4 August 2006. She was succeeded by Anand Satyanand at midday on 23 August 2006. During the intervening period, Chief Justice Dame Sian Elias was the Administrator of the Government (acting governor-general).{{citation needed|date=December 2010}}

On 16 June 2002, Cartwright made a speech at the Annual General Meeting of Save The Children's New Zealand branch, in which she criticised section 59 of the Crimes Act 1961, which allowed parents to use "reasonable force" to discipline their children.{{cite web|title=Speech to Save the Children AGM|url=http://www.gov-gen.govt.nz/utilities/printspeech.asp?ID=21|date=16 June 2002|author=Dame Silvia Cartwright|accessdate=23 July 2007 |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20070928045740/http://www.gov-gen.govt.nz/utilities/printspeech.asp?ID=21 |archivedate = 28 September 2007}} A number of groups criticised this position, such as the Society for the Promotion of Community Standards{{cite web|url=http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0206/S00102.htm|title=GG's Views on Smacking Kids Attack Family|date=18 June 2002|accessdate=7 August 2010}} – the Monarchist League stated that these comments were "overstepping the mark" for a representative of the Queen,{{cite web|title=Monarchy New Zealand, November 2002|date=November 2002|url=http://www.geocities.com/cox_nz/|author=Monarchist League of New Zealand|author-link=Monarchist League of New Zealand|accessdate=7 August 2010|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20091026234758/http://geocities.com/cox_nz/|archivedate=26 October 2009}} while Green Party MP Sue Bradford welcomed the comments.{{cite web|title=Violence against children shaping up as election issue|url=https://home.greens.org.nz/press-releases/violence-against-children-shaping-election-issue|date=17 June 2002|accessdate=27 May 2015|archive-date=18 May 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150518062706/https://home.greens.org.nz/press-releases/violence-against-children-shaping-election-issue|url-status=dead}}

On 12 August 2002, in a speech at the opening of the Specialised Applied Research Centre of the Victoria University of Wellington, Cartwright questioned whether longer sentences would reduce criminal reoffending rates. This was after the Sentencing Act 2002 and the Parole Act 2002 were passed – Acts for which Cartwright granted Royal Assent on 12 July 2002. The Acts introduced mandatory sentences for criminal convictions, and reduced the likelihood of parole.{{cite web|url=http://www.gov-gen.govt.nz/utilities/printspeech.asp?ID=39|title=Speech at the Opening of the Specialised Applied Research Centre Victoria University Wellington|date=12 August 2002|accessdate=23 July 2007|author=Dame Silvia Cartwright |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20070928045749/http://www.gov-gen.govt.nz/utilities/printspeech.asp?ID=39 |archivedate = 28 September 2007}} ACT New Zealand MP Stephen Franks was critical of the remarks, stating "I don't think she was regarded as one of the most weighty judges and she's putting herself into a difficult constitutional position by weighing in this area",{{cite web|title=Dame Silvia joins sentencing debate|date=13 August 2002|url=http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/425825/123803|author=Television New Zealand|author-link=Television New Zealand|accessdate=7 August 2010}} as was the Sensible Sentencing Trust. However, Prime Minister Helen Clark defended the governor-general, stating "One of the challenges for us is we clearly are no longer a dominion of Britain where the Governor-General is exactly like the Queen".{{cite news|title=Clark foresees president role|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=2349518|work=The New Zealand Herald|agency=NZPA|date=15 August 2002|accessdate=7 August 2010}}

On Waitangi Day 2004, following National leader Don Brash's controversial Orewa Speech on race relations, Cartwright controversially gave a different interpretation of the phrase "He iwi tahi tatou".{{cite news|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/topic/story.cfm?c_id=350&objectid=3547692|title=Governor-General expected to give different interpretation of Brash's treaty quote|date=6 February 2004|accessdate=23 July 2007}}

Following the 2005 general election, former National deputy leader Gerry Brownlee stated that Cartwright had not allowed National the chance at forming a government. Brownlee said "I have to publicly say that I have lost respect for the Governor-General and I think it is time we sat down now and started to look at a much more formal constitution for New Zealand". In response, Helen Clark said that the governor-general followed a "very, very proper process".{{cite news|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&ObjectID=10354305|title=Brownlee outburst backfires|work=The New Zealand Herald|date=9 November 2005|accessdate=23 July 2007}}

=Cambodian War Crimes Tribunal=

Cartwright was appointed to sit as one of two international judges in the Trial Chamber of the Cambodia Tribunal by Cambodia's Supreme Council of Magistracy.{{cite web|url=http://www.gg.govt.nz/media/news.asp?type=current&ID=164|title=Cartwright appointed Cambodian War Crimes Tribunal trial judge|author=Government House|accessdate=11 July 2007 |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20070927032427/http://www.gg.govt.nz/media/news.asp?type=current&ID=164 |archivedate = 27 September 2007}} Multiple Defence requests that she stand down from this position have been consistently rejected by both the Trial Chamber and Supreme Court Chambers on their merits.See amongst others Decision on Motions for Disqualification of Judge Silvia CARTWRIGHT, E137/5, 2 December 2011 (ECCC Trial Chamber) (http://www.eccc.gov.kh/sites/default/files/documents/courtdoc/E137_5_EN.PDF), Decision on IENG Sary’s Appeal Against the Trial Chamber’s Decision on Motions for Disqualification of Judge Silvia CARTWRIGHT, E137/5/1/3, 17 April 2012 (ECCC Supreme Court Chamber) (http://www.eccc.gov.kh/sites/default/files/documents/courtdoc/E137_5_1_3_EN.PDF) and Decision on IENG Sary's Application for Disqualification of Judge Cartwright, E191/2, 4 June 2012 (ECCC Trial Chamber) (http://www.eccc.gov.kh/sites/default/files/documents/courtdoc/E191_2_EN.PDF)

Honours and awards

File:Silvia Cartwright 2020 (cropped).jpg

In the 1989 Queen's Birthday Honours, Cartwright was appointed a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire, for services to women.{{London Gazette |issue=51774 |date=17 June 1989 |page=31 |supp=3}} Upon her retirement from the High Court, she was granted the use of the style "The Honourable" for life. In 1990, Cartwright received the New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal,{{cite book |last1=Taylor |first1=Alister |last2=Coddington |first2=Deborah |authorlink1=Alister Taylor |authorlink2=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=92}} and in 1993 she was awarded the New Zealand Suffrage Centennial Medal.{{cite web |url=https://www.dpmc.govt.nz/our-programmes/new-zealand-royal-honours/new-zealand-royal-honours-system/types-new-zealand-royal-honours/other-distinctive-new-zealand-honours/suffrage-medal-register |title=The New Zealand Suffrage Centennial Medal 1993 – register of recipients |date=26 July 2018 |publisher=Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet |accessdate=18 September 2018}} She was made a Principal Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2001, and she was awarded the Queen's Service Order at the State luncheon at Parliament to farewell her on 2 August 2006.

In the 2022 Queen's Birthday and Platinum Jubilee Honours, Cartwright was appointed an additional Member of the Order of New Zealand, for services to New Zealand.{{cite news |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/the-queens-birthday-and-platinum-jubilee-honours-list-2022/W53HWSV4TI7DGRF66KXQCTHB34/ |title=The Queen's Birthday and Platinum Jubilee Honours List 2022 |date=6 June 2022 |work=The New Zealand Herald |access-date=6 June 2022}}

Cartwright is an Honorary Member of [http://www.raoulwallenberg.net The International Raoul Wallenberg Foundation] and a fellow of the Hastings Center, a bioethics research institution in the United States.{{citation needed|date=December 2010}}

Styles

Her Honour Judge Silvia Rose Cartwright (1987–1989)
Her Honour Chief Judge Dame Silvia Rose Cartwright {{postnominals|country=NZL|DBE}} (1989–1993)
The Hon. Justice Dame Silvia Rose Cartwright {{postnominals|country=NZL|DBE}} (1993–2001)
The Hon. Justice Dame Silvia Rose Cartwright {{postnominals|country=NZL|PCNZMa|DBE}} (2001)
Her Excellency The Hon. Dame Silvia Rose Cartwright {{postnominals|country=NZL|PCNZMa|DBE}}, Governor-General of New Zealand (2001–2006)
Her Excellency The Hon. Dame Silvia Rose Cartwright {{postnominals|country=NZL|PCNZMa|DBE|QSO}}, Governor-General of New Zealand (2006)
The Hon. Dame Silvia Rose Cartwright {{postnominals|country=NZL|PCNZMa|DBE|QSO}} (2006–2022)
The Hon. Dame Silvia Rose Cartwright {{postnominals|country=NZL|ONZa|PCNZMa|DBE|QSO}} (since 2022)

File:Silvia Cartwright honours Carved Panel.jpg of Dame Silvia Cartwright, displayed in the main entrance hall of Government House in Wellington]]

Personal life

In 1969, Cartwright married lawyer Peter John Cartwright.{{cite web |url=https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/pm-welcomes-governor-general-designate |title=PM welcomes Governor-General-designate |date=24 August 2000 |publisher=New Zealand Government |accessdate=29 April 2019}} He died on 17 April 2019.{{cite news | url=http://notices.nzherald.co.nz/obituaries/nzherald-nz/obituary.aspx?n=peter-john-cartwright&pid=192417957 | title=Peter Cartwright death notice | date=18 April 2019 | work=The New Zealand Herald| accessdate=18 April 2019}}

References

External links

[http://www.gg.govt.nz/role/constofnz.htm Notice of extension of term (govt.nz)] ("Prime Minister Helen Clark said The Queen had agreed to extend the Governor-General's term until 4 August 2006.")