New Zealand justice set to join Hong Kong’s top court as non-permanent judge

Hong Kong’s leader has accepted the recommendation on the appointment of a 73-year-old retired New Zealand justice to the city’s top court, following the resignation of an Australian judge more than a month ago.

Sir William Gillow Gibbes Austen Young would serve as a non-permanent judge at the Court of Final Appeal in Hong Kong after the city legislature’s endorsement, joining five other overseas justices, the government said on Thursday.

“He is a judge of eminent standing and reputation. I am confident that he will contribute substantively to the Court of Final Appeal,” Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said.

Sir William Young retired as a permanent judge of the Supreme Court of New Zealand in April 2022 after serving for 12 years. He then sat on the final appellate courts of Seychelles, Samoa and Fiji.

Lee accepted the recommendation of the Judicial Officers Recommendation Commission and would make the official appointment after the Legislation Council approved it.

He said with the appointment of Sir William Young, the list of non-permanent judges from other common law jurisdictions would consist of six justices from the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand.