▁political ▁and ▁legal ▁officer ▁in ▁New ▁Zealand . ▁The ▁Att orney - General ▁is ▁simultaneously ▁a ▁minister ial ▁position ▁and ▁the ▁chief ▁law ▁officer ▁of ▁the ▁Crown , ▁and ▁has ▁responsibility ▁for ▁super vis ing ▁New ▁Zealand ▁law ▁and ▁advis ing ▁the ▁government ▁on ▁legal ▁matters . ▁The ▁Att orney - General ▁serves ▁both ▁a ▁political ▁and ▁ap olit ical ▁function . ▁The ▁current ▁Att orney - General ▁is ▁David ▁Parker . ▁ ▁Res p ons ib ilities ▁and ▁powers ▁The ▁Att orney - General ▁has ▁two ▁main ▁areas ▁of ▁official ▁responsibility . ▁First ly , ▁the ▁Att orney - General ▁has ▁minister ial ▁juris diction ▁over ▁the ▁Crown ▁Law ▁Office , ▁the ▁Parliament ary ▁Coun sel ▁Office , ▁and ▁the ▁Ser ious ▁Fra ud ▁Office . ▁Second ly , ▁the ▁Att orney - General ▁is ▁the ▁principal ▁law ▁officer ▁of ▁the ▁Crown , ▁responsible ▁for ▁super vis ing ▁the ▁state ' s ▁administration ▁of ▁the ▁law ▁and ▁for ▁providing ▁legal ▁advice ▁to ▁the ▁government . ▁This ▁includes ▁u ph old ing ▁the ▁rule ▁of ▁law ▁and ▁advis ing ▁on ▁comp liance ▁with ▁international ▁oblig ations . ▁In ▁the ▁latter ▁role ▁( but ▁strictly ▁not ▁in ▁the ▁former ), ▁the ▁Att orney - General ▁is ▁assist ed ▁by ▁the ▁Sol ic itor - General , ▁a ▁non - part isan ▁official . ▁This ▁is ▁to ▁reduce ▁the ▁extent ▁to ▁which ▁the ▁Att orney - General ' s ▁actions ▁on ▁beh alf ▁of ▁the ▁state ▁( as ▁opposed ▁to ▁the ▁government ) ▁can ▁be