Brian Elwood
Encyclopedia
Sir Brian Elwood was the Chief Ombudsman
of New Zealand
from December 1994 to June 2003. In this role, he was responsible for investigating complaints against central and local government agencies, including Ministers of the Crown.
He was first elected to the Palmerston North
City Council in 1968 and became the mayor
from 1971 to 1985.
He was an executive member of the Municipal Association of New Zealand from 1974 to 1985, and president of the association from 1976 to 1979.
Other positions were chairman of the Manawatu United Council, member of the Wellington Harbour Board, Commissioner for the Wellington Area Health Board and a member of the Massey University
Council.
Elwood was chairman of the Local Government Commission from 1 April 1985 to 1 November 1992.
In 1989 this commission undertook a major review of local government in New Zealand.
With backing from the Local Government Minister Michael Bassett
, the commission reduced the number of councils from more than 800 to fewer than 100.
The council decided that the new Regional councils were to be based around watersheds.
Elwood was appointed an ombudsman in November 1992, and Chief Ombudsman in December 1994, holding this position until June 2003.
In 1999 he was elected President of the International Ombudsman Institute
.
In this role, in July 2000 he met with President Chen Shui-bian
of Taiwan, discussing human rights protection.
He retired from the International Ombudsman Institute in 2002.
Speaking to the 9th World Conference of the International Ombudsman Institute in Stockholm in 2009, he attributed the growing acceptance of independent review of government operations to a "shift away from the primacy of nation state towards the primacy of the individual citizen and how they were to be regarded by the nation state".
In 2008 Elwood was chairman of the Waterview Connection Procurement Steering Group, reviewing the feasibility of making a proposed State Highway extension in Auckland a public/private partnership (PPP).
The Steering Group's work was praised as providing a model for future PPP projects.
Sir Brian received the Queen’s award of Knight Bachelor in 1990 for services to local
government and New Zealand.
He was given an Honorary D.Litt. from Massey University in 1993.
New Zealand Chief Ombudsman
New Zealand's Chief Ombudsman is appointed by the Governor-General of New Zealand on recommendation of the House of Representatives to oversee investigation of complaints against government departments, and report, with recommendations, to Parliament.The post of Ombudsman was established in New...
of New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
from December 1994 to June 2003. In this role, he was responsible for investigating complaints against central and local government agencies, including Ministers of the Crown.
Career
Elwood is a barrister and solicitor.He was first elected to the Palmerston North
Palmerston North
Palmerston North is the main city of the Manawatu-Wanganui region of the North Island of New Zealand. It is an inland city with a population of and is the country's seventh largest city and eighth largest urban area. Palmerston North is located in the eastern Manawatu Plains near the north bank...
City Council in 1968 and became the mayor
Mayor of Palmerston North
The Mayor of Palmerston North is the head of the municipal government of Palmerston North, New Zealand, and presides over the Palmerston North City Council. The mayor is directly elected using a First Past the Post electoral system...
from 1971 to 1985.
He was an executive member of the Municipal Association of New Zealand from 1974 to 1985, and president of the association from 1976 to 1979.
Other positions were chairman of the Manawatu United Council, member of the Wellington Harbour Board, Commissioner for the Wellington Area Health Board and a member of the Massey University
Massey University
Massey University is one of New Zealand's largest universities with approximately 36,000 students, 20,000 of whom are extramural students.The University has campuses in Palmerston North , Wellington and Auckland . Massey offers most of its degrees extramurally within New Zealand and internationally...
Council.
Elwood was chairman of the Local Government Commission from 1 April 1985 to 1 November 1992.
In 1989 this commission undertook a major review of local government in New Zealand.
With backing from the Local Government Minister Michael Bassett
Michael Bassett
Michael Edward Rainton Bassett, QSO is a former Labour Party member of the New Zealand House of Representatives and cabinet minister in the reformist fourth Labour government...
, the commission reduced the number of councils from more than 800 to fewer than 100.
The council decided that the new Regional councils were to be based around watersheds.
Elwood was appointed an ombudsman in November 1992, and Chief Ombudsman in December 1994, holding this position until June 2003.
In 1999 he was elected President of the International Ombudsman Institute
International Ombudsman Institute
The International Ombudsman Institute was established in 1978 as an independent global organisation to help more than 150 independent local, regional and national Ombudsman institutions to cooperate...
.
In this role, in July 2000 he met with President Chen Shui-bian
Chen Shui-bian
Chen Shui-bian is a former Taiwanese politician who was the 10th and 11th-term President of the Republic of China from 2000 to 2008. Chen, whose Democratic Progressive Party has traditionally been supportive of Taiwan independence, ended more than fifty years of Kuomintang rule in Taiwan...
of Taiwan, discussing human rights protection.
He retired from the International Ombudsman Institute in 2002.
Speaking to the 9th World Conference of the International Ombudsman Institute in Stockholm in 2009, he attributed the growing acceptance of independent review of government operations to a "shift away from the primacy of nation state towards the primacy of the individual citizen and how they were to be regarded by the nation state".
In 2008 Elwood was chairman of the Waterview Connection Procurement Steering Group, reviewing the feasibility of making a proposed State Highway extension in Auckland a public/private partnership (PPP).
The Steering Group's work was praised as providing a model for future PPP projects.
Sir Brian received the Queen’s award of Knight Bachelor in 1990 for services to local
government and New Zealand.
He was given an Honorary D.Litt. from Massey University in 1993.