Victoria’s School of Law Professor Tony Angelo was one of the organisers of ‘After Paris, After Winston – the PACIFIC’ and said the conference was a huge success.
“The keynote speeches were stimulating and timely, and the student presentations were excellent. It was great to see the exchange of ideas and experiences.”
As part of the conference, students from each university took part in a mooting competition. A team from the University of Otago took the top spot with Victoria University students Edwina Smith and Wiliame Gucake as runners-up.
The judging panel, headed by Judge Sir David Carruthers, commended both teams for the “very high standard” when giving their oral presentations.
Other highlights included keynote presentations from former Governor-General Sir Anand Satyanand, the new Children’s Commissioner Judge Andrew Becroft, and Victoria University scholars Professor Tony Angelo and Dr Teresia Teaiwa from Victoria University.
Sir Anand set the tone for the conference in his keynote speech where he argued against the common perception that Pacific nations are dependent on the largesse of bigger countries. Instead he emphasised the “capacity and capability of the Pacific”.
“The world is poised in ways more than ever before to harness the resources of the sea, for gas and electricity, as well as the food within it. The countries in the Pacific stand to be at the forefront of the developments. It’s people like yourselves, armed with degrees in law, who will take over the responsibility.”
Professor Angelo’s presentation considered the evolution of law in the Pacific, reflecting on developments since 1877 when British law began to rule over vast areas of the South Pacific. He also looked ahead to the future of law in the Pacific, pointing out areas for development to the next generation of Pacific lawyers.
Dr Teresia Teaiwa, director of Va’aomanu Pasifika at Victoria, explored the place of sovereignty, self-determination and the continuing struggle for independence, particularly in the context of climate change.
Students from Victoria, as well as other universities in New Zealand, Vanuatu and Fiji, presented on topics such as youth justice, women in leadership and using the law to benefit Pacific agri-business.
Assistant Vice-Chancellor (Pasifika) Hon. Luamanuvao Winnie Laban underscored the growing need for Pasifika students to study law. “In the Pacific, many of our countries are newly independent. This is why conferences like these are critical. That’s why you have to study hard. You have an important contribution to make in this space.”
The conference aimed to increase understanding of Pacific legal issues and strengthen relationships between Pacific legal scholars and students.