Tony Balme

Organized and dependable candidate successful at managing multiple priorities with a positive attitude. Willingness to take on added responsibilities to meet team goals.

I am aged 66 years, DOB 29 May 1956.

I am available for work daily including evenings and at weekends. The sole reservation is that I need to be able to attend to school commutes with my 11 year old daughter 8am-9am and 2.15pm-3.15pm Mon-Fri.

I have a broad range of interests and hobbies:

Outdoor interests include trail running, hiking, kayak fishing and paddleboarding.

I am currently studying Te Reo Maori and Spanish with the aim of achieving a level of proficiency over the next 12 months. I have a long background of youth work (since 1989) as a Youth Court lawyer and in more recent years this has involved appearance work in the marae court (Te Kooti Rangatahi). That has developed my interest in tikanga and te reo.

I spent some 40 years working in the courts, representing defendants on charges ranging from murder to careless driving. In the course of that work, I dealt with thousands of clients and their families. I believe I can bring to any job an ability to relate to all manner of people from all walks of life.

I have a deep interest in NZ history and in local history in the Whangarei and Northland area.

My partner has been appointed as a District Judge in Northland. I am no longer able to practice as criminal defence lawyer due to a perception of conflicts of interest that would arise should I conduct cases in her court. We have an 11 year old daughter that I take to and pick up from school each day which provides a limitation on availability for certain full time work.