Dispute resolution in the post Viking era: ombudsman duel lives on

Dispute resolution in the post Viking era: ombudsman duel lives on
In 1962, New Zealand became the first country outside of Sweden to adopt the now-capitalised ‘Ombudsman’ term for official government duty.
David Chaplin
The Vikings started it.With all those sharp weapons lying around, the old Norsemen probably needed an independent third-party to settle petty internal disputes before things turned nasty.Enter the umboðsmaður, the Old Norse word meaning ‘representative’ that the new Swedes translated as ‘umbuds man’ before it was pressed into English usage as ‘ombudsman’.In a little-known fact buried among a Wellington High Court ruling handed down this February 26, in 1962, New Zealand became the first country outsid...

More Opinion

On valuations, models and moving targets
Opinion

Simon Robertson: On valuations, models and moving targets

My future and ‘forward-looking’ valuations are a combination of many things.

Google monopoly breach evens media playing field
Opinion

Jane Ormsby: Google monopoly breach evens media playing field

Optimism remains in getting transparency and increased regulation for the industry.

Jane Ormsby 24 Apr 2025
Tricks of the traders revealed
Opinion

David Chaplin: Tricks of the traders revealed

The UK regulator probably has more power to enforce trading app trickery than in NZ.

David Chaplin 23 Apr 2025
LanzaTech is in a fight for its life
Opinion Opinion

Peter Griffin: LanzaTech is in a fight for its life

LanzaTech’s fight for survival is a cautionary tale.

Peter Griffin 23 Apr 2025