The new judges fill out benches in Wellington and Manukau
Attorney-General David Parker has announced the appointments of Tania June Warburton, Tania Margaret Sharkey and Ali'imuamua Sandra Alofivae as District Court judges.
Warburton is a solicitor from Wellington. She has been designated as a district court judge with jury jurisdiction. Initially, she will be based in Wellington. Warburton began her legal career as a judge's clerk for former chief justice Thomas Eichelbaum. She later became a Crown counsel with Crown Law in 1999. She was eventually appointed as deputy chief legal counsel at the Ministry of Justice in 2013.
For the past few years, Warburton has worked as a legal advisor to the prime minister at the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet. Warburton's official swearing-in ceremony is scheduled for 28 July.
Sharkey is a barrister hailing from Auckland. She has been appointed as a district court judge with family jurisdiction stationed in Manukau. Sharkey is of Tongan (Houma, Tongatapu) and Irish descent. She initially practiced as a solicitor in Auckland before establishing herself as a barrister at Friendship Chambers in Manukau. Her expertise lies primarily in the field of family law.
In addition to her legal work, Sharkey has served as the lead counsel Assisting the Pacific peoples' investigation in the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Historical Abuse in Care. She has also been a parole board member since 2020 and has held various legal positions, including president of the Pacific Lawyers Association and Family Law Section Regional Representative (South Auckland). Sharkey will be sworn in on 4 August and will commence her duties at the Manukau District Court
Alofivae, another barrister from Auckland, has been designated as a district court judge with a general jurisdiction to be based in Manukau. Alofivae began her career as a solicitor, eventually establishing the partnership of King Alofivae Malosi in 1994. She transitioned to practice as a barrister sole in 2005.
Alofivae was one of the first lawyers appointed to the Alcohol and Other Drug Treatment Court in Auckland. In addition to her legal practice, she has had a corporate governance career and served as the independent chair of the South Auckland Social Wellbeing Board in 2016. In 2018, she was appointed commissioner to the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Historical Abuse in Care. Alofivae will be sworn in on 4 September.
The appointees will replace judges about to retire in July, August and September.
