Gate-crashing judge inquiry tops $1m as taxpayer-funded legal bill reaches $401k

Tuesday, 21 July 2026

The taxpayer bill for the judicial conduct inquiry into gate-crashing Judge Ema Aitken has broken through the $1 million mark, with more than $400,000 spent defending the judge and almost $372,000 spent on the case against her.

The Ministry of Justice and Crown Law have spent at least $1.02m on the inquiry, which examined allegations about Aitken’s conduct during a speech by NZ First leader Winston Peters at Auckland’s Northern Club.

The cost has increased by about $93,000 since figures released in March showed the inquiry was already approaching seven figures.

The biggest single cost was Aitken’s legal representation, at $401,243 – a bill the ministry was required by law to meet.

Read more:

• Taxpayers stung almost $2000 for taxis to judges’ Northern Club Christmas bash

• Judge, celebrity doctor apologise for ‘verbally attacking’ Winston Peters

• ‘I would not lie’: Judge gives her account of what happened at the Northern Club

But the figure is not the full cost of the inquiry. The ministry said the total did not include the salary costs of staff who supported the panel, because the work was absorbed alongside their existing duties.

It also excluded the salary cost of panel member Jillian Mallon who is a sitting judge of the Court of Appeal. The ministry said it could not provide a breakdown of costs by individual hearing or proceeding.

The inquiry examined allegations about Aitken’s conduct during Peters’ speech at a November 2024 fundraiser.

Witnesses, including NZ First minister Casey Costello, told the panel the judge was yelling, calling out and speaking loudly during the speech.

Aitken denied she was intoxicated or behaved improperly, saying she had consumed one or two glasses of champagne and did not know Peters was speaking or that the event was a political fundraiser.

The panel found her conduct was inappropriate but not at the threshold requiring removal, allowing Aitken to continue sitting as a district court judge.

The ministry’s own costs for supporting the inquiry totalled $190,098, including panel members’ fees, travel and IT costs.

The panel was chaired by Brendan Brown KC, a retired Appeal Court judge and also included former Governor-General Sir Jerry Mateparae.

Senior barrister Tim Stephens KC was appointed as special counsel to assist the panel.

Crown Law spent $427,526 on the inquiry, covering special counsel, lawyers assisting the case, research support, travel and accommodation.

Details of the event - which prompted an apology from chief judge Heemi Taumaunu on behalf of the court - were first reported by The Post. Aitken was attending an end-of-year party for district judges held simultaneously at the exclusive club.

Then Attorney-General Judith Collins said she was “really disgusted” with the behaviour and wrote to the Judicial Complaints Commissioner about it. ACT leader David Seymour described the incident as “despicable”.

Aitken’s partner, well-known intensive care specialist David Galler, also made remarks to Costello and a Northern Club staff member that he later apologised for, while prominent lawyer Michael Reed KC refused to stop photographing staff after being asked to stop.