NZCCL is managed by an Executive Committee who are committed to championing civil liberties.

Current Members

Kevin McCormack, Secretary and Treasurer

Kevin has been involved with NZCCL for the past 15 years, and at various times he has beenthe President, Treasurer and now Secretary/Treasurer. He is interested in the rational justification for change, and in ensuring that there is a fair balance between entitlements and responsibilities.

Kevin's working life involved a significant period in the Public Service where he held various senior statutory and administrative positions, and in the NZ Dairy Board covering a variety of roles. He is now retired from paid employment and leads a very active and involved life.

Batch Hales, Committee Member

Batch has been a member of NZCCL for more than 25 years, and for many years acted as Secretary and editor of Civil Liberty. Batch is interested in the more subtle ways in which the State can intrude on people’s civil liberties, including the effects of health, education and social policies on people’s rights to self-determination and equal benefit. He is concerned that the free market ideologies pursued by successive NZ governments have led to a more unjust and unequal society, and one more interested in punishing victims than resolving issues.

He is a writer and education consultant.

Marion Sanson, Committee Member

Marion is a lawyer who is currently working in the public service. During her career she has worked in a range of roles in both private and public law practice. Since her university student days, she has been interested in civil liberties, and has been a member of the New Zealand Council for Civil Liberties for many years. Recently she completed a postgraduate Diploma in Law, with a focus on the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990.

She has had considerable experience in making submissions to Parliamentary Committees and hopes to do more of this, promoting a Bill of Rights analysis of proposed legislation. Her specific focuses are the right to freedom from discrimination, freedom of expression and freedom of information.

Thomas Beagle, Committee Member

Thomas has had a long involvement with computers and the IT industry. He is increasingly concerned by the way that civil liberties, particularly the right to privacy, are being eroded by advances in technology. However, he is no luddite and believes that modern technology can be used to increase democratic participation and hold government to account.

He is the co-founder and spokesperson for Tech Liberty, a lobby group dedicated to "defending civil liberties in the digital age".

Michael Bott, Media Spokesperson

Michael Bott is former member of the Executive Committee and committed member of NZCCL. He is currently the Media Spokesperson for the NZCCL.

Former Members

Tony Ellis, Former President

In his president's report, the former NZCCL President Tony Ellis, outlined the achievements of the 2008 year, including a complaint to The UN Special Rapportuer of the Commission on Human Rights on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers, an extensive submission on the Policing Bill, and submissions on the Corrections (Mothers and Babies) Amendment Bill. Submissions to the Law Commission on proposed changes to Habeas Corpus were also made by invitation.