Politics of Kiribati takes place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic republic,whereby the Beretitenti,President of Kiribati,is both the head of state and head of government,and of a multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government,Beretitenti,and his cabinet,all MPs. Legislative power is exercised by the House of Assembly. The Judiciary of Kiribati is independent of the executive and the legislature. The Constitution of Kiribati,promulgated at independence on 12 July 1979,establishes the Republic of Kiribati as a sovereign democratic republic and guarantees the fundamental rights of its citizens and residents.
The Office of Film and Literature Classification,branded as the Classification Office,is an independent Crown entity established under Films,Videos,and Publications Classification Act 1993 responsible for censorship and classification of publications in New Zealand. A "publication" is defined broadly to be anything that shows an image,representation,sign,statement,or word. This includes films,video games,books,magazines,CDs,T-shirts,street signs,jigsaw puzzles,drink cans,and slogans on campervans. The Chief Censor,Caroline Flora,is the chair of the Office.
The Society for Promotion of Community Standards Inc. ("SPCS") is a conservative lobby group in New Zealand. A registered charity and incorporated society,the Society has taken a strong pro-censorship stance and clashed many times with the Office of Film and Literature Classification. They have also advocated socially conservative positions on issues such as abortion,euthanasia and same-sex marriage.
Kathryn Mary Paterson was the ninth Chief Censor of New Zealand and a Director of Australia's Office of Film and Literature Classification.
Arthur Everard is a filmmaker and journalist who served as the seventh Chief Censor of New Zealand.
Jane Theresa Wrightson is New Zealand's Retirement Commissioner. She was previously New Zealand's eighth Chief Censor,and first woman Chief Censor,from 1991 to 1993,when Films,Videos,and Publications Act became law.
William or Bill Hastings may refer to:
Sir John Hugh Williams,generally known as Hugh Williams,is a former president of the New Zealand Electoral Commission and a retired judge of the High Court of New Zealand. From 2016 to 2022 he was Chief Justice of the Cook Islands.
The District Court of New Zealand is the primary court of first instance of New Zealand. There are 59 District Court locations throughout New Zealand. The court hears civil claims of up to $350,000 and most criminal cases. It is governed by the District Court Act 2016,which replaced the earlier District Courts Act 1947 as well as the District Court Rules which are periodically revised by the Rules Committee.
Censorship in New Zealand has been present since around 1850 and is currently managed by the Classification Office under the Films,Videos,and Publications Classification Act 1993.
Sir Edward Taihakurei Durie was the first Māori appointed as a judge of a New Zealand court. He is of Rangitāne,Ngāti Kauwhata and Ngāti Raukawa descent;Mason Durie (1889–1971) was his grandfather.
Dr Andrew Robert Jack is the former Chief Censor of New Zealand. He held the position from March 2011 to March 2017.
The Judiciary of Kiribati is the branch of the Government of Kiribati which interprets and applies the laws of the country. In addition to the Constitution of Kiribati and the corpus of laws,the laws of Kiribati include customary law,which the courts must take into account when considering specified matters in criminal and civil proceedings.
Tessie Eria Lambourne is an I-Kiribati civil servant,diplomat and politician. She has been a member of the Maneaba ni Maungatabu (Parliament) since April 2020. She was formerly Kiribati's Ambassador to the Republic of China (Taiwan) from June 2018 to September 2019 and Secretary to the Cabinet,the highest position in Kiribati's civil service,from August 2016 until June 2018.
Satiu Simativa Perese is a Samoan judge. He has served as the Chief Justice of Samoa since 12 June 2020.
A constitutional crisis began in Kiribati when the Cabinet of Kiribati suspended two of its High Court Justices. High Court Judge David Lambourne was suspended in May 2022 while Chief Justice Bill Hastings was suspended on 30 June 2022,both over allegations of misconduct. A Court of Appeal ruling upheld an earlier ruling of Chief Justice Hastings that the government acted unconstitutionally in not permitting David Lambourne to resume his duties as a High Court judge,and overturned the subsequent attempted deportation of Lambourne. In response,the government suspended all judges of the Kiribati Court of Appeal on 6 September 2022.
The Kiribati Court of Appeal is the supreme court of Kiribati established according to the Constitution of Kiribati of 12 July 1979. The Court sits in Betio,South Tarawa.
David Lambourne is an Australian judge on the courts of Kiribati since 1995,first as Kiribati People's lawyer (1995–1999),solicitor general,then,since July 2018,as puisne judge Justice in the High Court of Kiribati. He is the husband of Tessie Lambourne,leader of the opposition since 2020.
