Dr Anna Kirk Reflects on Arbitration following AMINZ Arbitration Day 2025
AMINZ Vice President Dr Anna Kirk reflects on arbitration in Aotearoa New Zealand, and recaps AMINZ Arbitration Day 2025, in a piece originally published on the Kluwer Arbitration Blog.
“Arbitration in New Zealand is thriving, underpinned by a robust legislative framework and a judiciary supportive of party autonomy and arbitral processes. The day’s theme – building on this strong foundation – was timely, as New Zealand’s Arbitration Act 1996 (the “Act”) approaches its 30th anniversary.
The Act, closely based on the UNCITRAL Model Law, has been well tested through the courts and is widely regarded as providing a solid basis for both domestic and international arbitration.”
Anna reflects on some of the day’s sessions with key practitioners:
Legislative Reform: Learning from Abroad with Daniel Kalderimis KC, Nicola Swan, Michelle Mau, Hon Paul Heath KC
The User Perspective: What Works and What Doesn’t with Marika Eastwick-Field, Sarah Wroe, Julian Long, Shane Hussey
Insights from the Aotearoa New Zealand Arbitration Survey with Royden Hindle, Anna Kirk and Diana Qiu
Cultural Context and the Importance of Procedural Flexibility with Rachael Jones, Renika Siciliano, Emmolina May, Tim Lindsay
“The discussions throughout the day reflected a broader trend in New Zealand arbitration: a commitment to continuous improvement and responsiveness to user needs.” In her summary, Anna provides her view of the challenges and opportunities ahead for arbitration in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Presenters at this year’s AMINZ Arbitration Day
