Retired Environment Court judge Skelton knighted in Honours List

Retired judge Peter Skelton has received a knighthood in the New Year Honours List, recognising his pioneering work in environmental law.

Sir Peter Skelton

Sir Peter, 85, was made a Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (CNZO), with his official citation labelling him “a key player in the development of Christchurch’s post-earthquake Land Use Recovery Plan”.

He served as a judge of the Environment Court from 1978 to 2000 and continued to develop environmental law after leaving the bench through his work with legal bodies and in academia.

Sir Peter was appointed as an Environment Canterbury Commissioner in 2010, helping shape the region’s earthquake recovery efforts.

He said environmental law was a fascinating area of specialisation.

“It’s a very rewarding area of the law to practise in, because it’s talking about what’s going to happen in the future, rather than picking up all the broken pieces from the past,” Sir Peter told Radio New Zealand.