Judge Andrew Becroft
Children's Commissioner
His Honour Judge Andrew Becroft was appointed a District Court Judge in 1996, and became the Principal Youth Court Judge of New Zealand in 2001. He held the role until 2016 when he was appointed the Children’s Commissioner.
Born in Kuala Lumpur, Judge Becroft graduated from Auckland University in 1981 with a Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Laws and practised in Auckland until 1986. He then assisted with the establishment of the Mangere Community Law Centre and worked there until 1993, when he became a criminal barrister in South Auckland. He was appointed to the District Court bench from 1996, sitting in Whanganui.
Judge Becroft has received many awards for his work, including the 2009 Communicator of the Year award from the Public Relations Institute of New Zealand, and was the recipient of a Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Auckland the following year. He was also the 2018 winner of the Public Service Category at the Wellingtonian of the Year awards for helping vulnerable young people as Children's Commissioner.
Judge Becroft is married with three children and is a keen sports watcher. He is the Patron of the New Zealand Speak Easy Association Inc., which assists those with speech impediments, Chair of the Wellington College Football Club and Chair of the Board of the Tertiary Students Christian Fellowship Inc.