Media Release: Singapore and New Zealand Courts strengthen bilateral judicial ties at inaugural Singapore-New Zealand Judicial Roundtable

              At the inaugural Singapore-New Zealand Judicial Roundtable that took place in Auckland, New Zealand on 7 February 2025, The Honourable the Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon of Singapore led the discussion on the topic of climate change where he spoke about the development of a bespoke model of justice for climate disputes and the importance of international judicial collaboration in this area. 

2.           Chief Justice Menon suggested that the traditional adversarial model of civil litigation might often not be best suited to providing the most meaningful resolution of climate disputes, and suggested that climate disputes call for a new model of justice informed by therapeutic justice.  Such a model would be a powerful tool for the facilitated resolution of conflict because it would be restorative, holistic, and forward-looking in its approach. Chief Justice Menon also stressed the need for international judicial collaboration in respect of climate disputes, given their cross-jurisdictional elements that may not be able to be resolved by any single jurisdiction alone.

3.           The Roundtable was hosted by the Courts of New Zealand and focused on four topics pertinent to both judiciaries, namely: Access to Justice, Climate Change, Technology and the Courts, and Lifecycle and Wellbeing of the Judge. The delegation from the Supreme Court of Singapore was led by Chief Justice Menon and comprised Justice Valerie Thean, Justice Aidan Xu and Judicial Commissioner Alex Wong.

4.          Justice Xu led the discussion on Technology and the Courts with Justice David Goddard of the Court of Appeal of New Zealand, while Justice Thean delivered a response to Chief Justice Helen Winkelmann’s paper on Access to Justice, and Judicial Commissioner Wong delivered a response to Justice Christian Whata’s paper on Lifecycle and Wellbeing of the Judge. 

5.          Chief Justice Menon said: “I express our deepest gratitude to Chief Justice Winkelmann and her team for hosting this inaugural Roundtable between our two judiciaries, and for the very warm welcome and generous hospitality. Today, our courts operate within a global environment that is increasingly dynamic and interconnected, and we are likely to be confronted with ever more complex and challenging legal issues that will often transcend jurisdictional boundaries. As we navigate these challenges, platforms like this Roundtable offer an immensely valuable opportunity for us to learn from one another’s experiences and perspectives. We had a very fruitful discussion on the four topics at the Roundtable, and I look forward to many more discussions like these in the future.”

6.          Chief Justice Menon and Justice Xu also spoke at the Pacific Judicial Conference 2025, which took place in Auckland from 9 to 12 February 2025. The theme for the Conference was “Strengthening the Institution of the Judiciary – Kia Tū Pakari ai te Whare Whakawā”. Chief Justice Menon and Justice Goddard participated in a moderated conversation on “The Future Shape of Courts”, and Justice Xu spoke on a panel chaired by Justice Goddard on “The Promise and Perils of Technology”.

Issued by: SG Courts
12 February 2025

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