Coral Shaw: Former Judge and Chair of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and faith based care made a Dame for contributions to society

Three new Dames have made today's New Year Honours List. 

Former judge Coral Shaw has led a range of public sector reviews, notably, chairing the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and faith based care.

She served as a district court judge before becoming the first female employment court judge from 1999 to 2009.

She told Andrew Dickens that her career has been gruelling but rewarding, as she announced her retirement on air. 

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:09):
You're listening to a podcast from News Talks Be follow
this and our wide range of podcasts now on iHeartRadio.

Speaker 2 (00:16):
So what about New Dames is the epitome of a
public servant. Dame Coral Shaw first served as a district
court judge from nineteen ninety two until nineteen ninety nine.
She then became the first woman to be an Employment
Court judge from nineteen ninety nine to two thousand and nine,
and she's led some massive public service reviews, including into
the Human Rights Commission and Fire Emergency New Zealand. But lately,

(00:40):
of course, she took on the massive task and the
important task of tearing the Royal Commission into Abuse in
State care. And Dame Coral Shaw is with us this morning.
Good morning, Dame Coral More Dear, Now, congratulations, you must
be thrilled. But at the same time, I'm sure you'll
say you are just doing your job.

Speaker 3 (00:58):
Of course I'm going to say that, but I also
am realistic to say that I am very grateful. I
think that it is wonderful that this time of work,
particularly the work for survivors, is recognized, and I take
this honor as a part of that recognition.

Speaker 2 (01:18):
Absolutely We'll talk about that more later, but clearly you
did not get into this line of work to become
a dame. And what I've learned from talking to judges
is that there is a sense of social conscience there
where they are prepared to accept less money than they
might get in private practice, but they feel you want
to give back to society.

Speaker 3 (01:40):
It's partly there, but it's also being a judge exposes
you to some of the gaps in our systems and
shows up some of the awful places where people are
in need and their needs not being met. And so
I regard my work and some of the off work

(02:00):
things that I've done as trying to meet some of
the needs of those people who are paid for by
a justice.

Speaker 2 (02:05):
System and saying that you get into these dark places
where there is need. There was no darker place to
be than chairing the Royal Commission into Abuse in State Care?
How grueling was it for you? Oh?

Speaker 3 (02:20):
And not just for me, for me, my whole team,
the hundreds of people who worked and for survivors. It
was very grueling. But having said that, and it was
grueling because of the subject matter, which was awful beyond belief.
But saying that it was also a privilege, and it
was extraordinarily uplifting to be in the presence of survivors who,

(02:41):
after many decades, had decided now was a time that
they could tell their stories and be listened to and believed.
And that for me was a great privilege as well,
which somehow offset the horrors of what we were hearing.

Speaker 2 (02:56):
Yes, and you uncovered the truth, and with the truth
we in our arms so that we could go into
the future better prepared. That's the main thing about being
a judge, no matter what the judge is, you're finding
the truth, you're holding it to the law. We're learning lessons, and.

Speaker 3 (03:14):
Learning lessons is probably the most important thing. You've just said. Yeah,
I mean, we've learned the lessons, but unless we put
into action the matters and solve the problems that that
we were identified, we will just be back in that
same hole again. So I see the reports that we've

(03:34):
done as ones of hope that they provide a pathway
for the future. And I'm just looking forward to the
day when all of those recommendations are implemented so we
don't go back to that dark place again.

Speaker 2 (03:47):
And you've been through that, You've come out the other side.
You're now a day and going forward, what other areas
are you going to be working in the future.

Speaker 3 (03:56):
I'd like to announce formally that I am retired.

Speaker 2 (04:02):
Congratulations.

Speaker 3 (04:03):
I have said this many times that I truly mean
it now and my life is back into the community
where I enjoy working with community organizations, with Citizens Advice Bureau,
with our local museum, and of course giving my family
and my home some of the attention that they went
without because they suffered as well throughout those few years

(04:26):
where I was incredibly busy. So I am retired and
I am living the dream life.

Speaker 2 (04:30):
And you deserve it, and I thank you so very
very much that same Coral Shaw.

Speaker 1 (04:35):
For more from News Talks at b listen live on
air or online, and keep our shows with you wherever
you go with our podcasts on iHeartRadio.