What is your name?
Charlie Matthews
What has kept you busy recently — have you been studying, working, or a bit of both?
Both, really. I’m finally approaching the end of the degree and am doing a mix.
Over the summer I clerked at Russell McVeagh. A policy takeaway is that people often don’t realise how policy-heavy being a lawyer is. Much of a lawyer’s role can end up being that of a policy advocate. They are on the front lines of laws in action, seeing what is and isn’t working, and clients often have suggestions for what the law should be.
I’ve just returned from interning at the New Zealand Permanent Mission in Geneva. It was fascinating to see how personal a lot of their work is. Policy shifts on the international stage require people from all across the world to come together to find something workable. New Zealand plays an important role as a conduit in these spaces, working with a broad range of countries of different sizes, systems, and cultures.
Alongside my studies, I tutor (of course) Public Law and Legal Method, and work as a Research Assistant. I also keep busy with my roles on the board of Amnesty International Aotearoa New Zealand and as a member of Amnesty International’s Global Youth Collective.
What did you choose to study, and what drew you to that field?
I initially chose to study economics and politics, with Mandarin on the side, really keen to use policy for good. My economics teacher told me that wasn’t particularly employable and I should do law. I begrudgingly did, and it turned out to be the side of my degree I’ve enjoyed most. Law is really a set of tools and processes for breaking down and solving complex problems, which is invaluable in almost any field.
How did your time in the Public Policy Club (or similar groups) influence your thinking, interests, or future plans?
PPC definitely reinforced my belief in the importance of policy, but also showed me that there are so many ways to engage with policy processes. You don’t just need to be a grad at Council or MFAT to do so.
PPC also coincided with my growing interest in transport policy and YIMBYism, which I continue to read a lot about.
It did make me a bit wary of youth wings.
What’s something you know now that you wish you’d known when starting out as a student?
Sit down and think: “Where am I going with my degree? What is my end goal?” Plan it out, but be ready to change. A little bit of this thinking would’ve saved me at least a semester.
Do you have any advice for students interested in public policy but unsure where to start?
Go to a PPC event and just talk to people – there’s a lot of interesting things you’ll learn.
“Policy” is so broad that we always struggled to explain it to people at Clubs Expo. It’s often best to focus on your specific interests and see the ways you can get involved in those issues, rather than trying to “solve policy” as a whole.
Are there any policy issues you’re especially interested in right now? Why?
I’ve done a lot of work as a Research Assistant for Senior Lecturer Jayden Houghton during my studies. One project that was particularly cool to be involved in was his book Tikanga Māori and State Law. The interaction of state law and tikanga is, I would argue, the most cutting edge policy issue for the law and the courts. There’s a lot of thinking to be done on how we move forward as a country – especially considering the current Government’s regressive and harmful policies.
Any book, podcast, paper or film that shifted your thinking or that you would recommend?
I’d recommend public transport/housing YouTube– lots of interesting videos on transport, density and similar topics. Aotearoa New Zealand has, as in most areas of policy, a lot to learn from abroad and much to share about what is and isn’t working. Specific recommendations are “About Here”, “Building Beautifully” and “The Flying Moose”, but there’s something for everyone.
Thanks to Charlie for taking the time to share his insights with us.
