Rachel Palu
Chairperson, New Zealand Social Security Appeal Authority
Rachel Palu is the Chairperson of the New Zealand Social Security Appeal Authority and a part time sole practitioner. She is of New Zealand European/Māori (Ngāti Apa) descent. A lawyer since 1996, she has a broad range of experience and expertise encompassing civil and commercial litigation, including Te Tiriti and Māori legal issues, property law, dispute resolution and a decade of judicial/quasi-judicial roles across a range of tribunals. In addition to her work within social security, she has chaired various civil, professional disciplinary and administrative review tribunals/committees involving civil disputes, alcohol licensing and real estate agents. She has a passion for access to justice and through tribunal work she has been involved in initiatives designed to make the judicial system more accessible to Māori and Pasifika.