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The 10th of March is the International Day of Women Judges.
In 1975, the first woman judge in New Zealand was appointed to the District Court – Dame Augusta Wallace. (pictured). Women were not appointed to the High Court until 1987 with the appointment of Anne Gambrill as a Master of the High Court, and 1993 when Dame Silvia Cartwright was made a High Court Judge.
Today 50% of Aotearoa New Zealand’s judiciary are women.
Who Was Dame Augusta Wallace?
Dame Augusta Wallace (1929–2008) occupies a singular place in New Zealand legal history as the country’s first woman appointed to the District Court bench.
Born Georgina Catriona Pamela Augusta Dunlop in Auckland in 1929, she grew up in a legal household and seemed almost destined for the profession. After studying law at Auckland University College, where she was the only woman in her law class for several years, she was admitted to the bar in 1954.
She practised widely before her judicial appointment, including running her own Papatoetoe law practice from 1964, at a time when women lawyers were still a rarity. In September 1975 she was appointed to the District Court bench, becoming New Zealand’s first female judge during the International Year of Women.
Known for her brisk courtroom style and practical approach, Dame Augusta served for nearly two decades in Auckland, Ōtāhuhu and Papakura. Her career included significant public service roles, such as chairing the Abortion Supervisory Committee and later serving on the Waitangi Tribunal.
In 1990 she survived a serious machete attack in the Ōtāhuhu Youth Court, an incident that prompted a national review of courtroom security.
Appointed a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1993, she left a lasting legacy as a pioneering figure whose professionalism helped pave the way for women in New Zealand’s judiciary and legal profession.
A pretty formidable career. Becoming the first woman judge in a profession run almost entirely by men tends to require a certain level of stubbornness. Fortunately, she appears to have had plenty.
