Chen Palmer specialise in all facets of law and policy regarding inquiries and reviews. Our team has collectively over 120 years of experience in advising and assisting with inquiries and reviews.
Our expertise includes:
- Inquiries, reviews and audits by local and central government departments and agencies;
- Public inquiries;
- Governance reviews;
- Administrative process reviews (for example, complaint handling processes);
- Local Government code of conduct issues;
- Royal Commissions;
- Statutory inquiries;
- Reviews and audits by the Auditor-General;
- Select Committee inquiries;
- Law and policy reform;
- Disciplinary reviews; and
- Employment law reviews.
We also have experience in undertaking inquiries and reviews for companies and businesses, schools and tertiary education organisations.
Our previous work includes:
- Royal Commission of Inquiry into the terrorist attack on Christchurch masjidain on 15 March 2019, November 2020;
- Undertaking code of conduct reviews of local councils, October 2020;
- State Services Commission’s investigation into the conduct and behaviour of the Retirement Commissioner, April 2019;
- Government Inquiry into the Havelock North drinking-water, March 2017;
- Royal Commission on Auckland Governance, March 2009;
- Ministerial Inquiry into matters relating to Taito Phillip Field, July 2006;
- Auditor-General Inquiry into the Tumuaki of the Institution for conflicts of interest and other behaviour, March 2005;
- “Independent review of the Electricity Complaints Commission Code of Practice: An Inaugural review after six months operation”, March 2003;
- Report of Māori Affairs Committee into the Crown Forestry Rental Trust, 2003;
- Scoping review of the Privacy Act 1993, 2001
- Second Periodic Process Review of the Banking Ombudsman, 2001 – 2000;
- Inquiry by the Local Government and Environment Select Committee on petitions No 2000/106 by Penelope Bright and others requesting that the Committee inquire into the “charging and practices” of Metrowater Ltd
- Periodic Process Review of the Banking Ombudsman, 1999 – 2000;
- Office of the Controller and Auditor General’s inquiry into Capital Coast Health Ltd’s integrated IT system purchase and implementation, 1999;
- Ministerial Inquiry on the Auckland Energy Supply Crisis, 1998;
- Internal Affairs and Local Government Committee into the New Zealand Fire Service Commission, 1998;
- Commission of Inquiry into Certain Matters relating to Taxation (the Winebox inquiry), 1994.