20 February 2026 Media statement: Chief Justice welcomes judicial appointment

The Chief Justice welcomes the Attorney-General’s announcement today of the appointment of Auckland Barrister and Solicitor Brett Tantrum as a Judge of the High Court.

Justice Tantrum will take up his appointment on 30 March 2026, and will sit in Auckland. He will be sworn in on Friday 10 April 2026 at the Auckland High Court.

BIOGRAPHY
Justice Brett Tantrum

Justice Tantrum graduated from the University of Auckland with a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) in 2000, and joined Bell Gully’s commercial litigation team as a solicitor.

In August 2002, he joined Auckland Crown Solicitor’s office Meredith Connell as a solicitor. He joined the partnership in 2011 and has been a Principal Crown Prosecutor since 2017.

In 2006, Justice Tantrum participated in a professional exchange programme with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions in New South Wales, Sydney, Australia. He was admitted to the bar in New South Wales and prosecuted cases involving sexual violation, fraud, serious violence and drug-related offences.

Justice Tantrum’s areas of expertise include criminal appeals to the Court of Appeal, as well as prosecuting cases involving homicide, organised crime—particularly commercial drug offending and money laundering—and serious sexual violence. He has also practised in public and administrative law, including judicial review proceedings and regulatory matters. He is a member of the Serious Fraud Office’s prosecutors’ panel.