▁by ▁a ▁politician ▁or ▁by ▁a ▁senior ▁jur ist , ▁but ▁today , ▁it ▁is ▁invari ably ▁held ▁by ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁Parliament . ▁The ▁Att orney - General ▁att ends ▁Cab inet , ▁but ▁the ▁post ▁is ▁not ▁the ▁same ▁as ▁the ▁Minister ▁of ▁Justice . ▁The ▁post ▁of ▁Att orney - General ▁has ▁existed ▁since ▁the ▁separation ▁of ▁New ▁Zealand ▁as ▁a ▁distinct ▁Crown ▁Col ony ▁from ▁New ▁South ▁Wales . ▁ ▁By ▁tradition , ▁persons ▁appointed ▁to ▁the ▁position ▁of ▁Att orney - General ▁have ▁been ▁law y ers . ▁Only ▁two ▁former ▁Att or ne ys - General ▁have ▁not ▁been ▁law y ers , ▁most ▁recently ▁Dr . ▁Michael ▁C ull en ▁who ▁held ▁the ▁post ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁and ▁again ▁from ▁ 2 0 0 6 . ▁In ▁November ▁ 1 9 0 6 , ▁when ▁Albert ▁Pitt ▁died , ▁there ▁were ▁no ▁suitable ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁legal ▁profession ▁in ▁Parliament . ▁Hence ▁Joseph ▁Ward ▁appointed ▁ ▁John ▁Find lay ▁to ▁the ▁Legisl ative ▁Council ▁on ▁ 2 3 ▁November ▁ 1 9 0 6 ▁and ▁appointed ▁him ▁Att orney - General ▁and ▁Col onial ▁Secretary ▁on ▁the ▁same ▁day . ▁ ▁The ▁table ▁below ▁is ▁an ▁incomplete ▁listing ▁of ▁New ▁Zealand ▁polit icians ▁who ▁have ▁sat ▁in ▁Cab inet ▁as ▁Att orney - General ▁since ▁ 1 8 5 6 . ▁It ▁does ▁not ▁show ▁non - polit ical ▁att or ne ys - general . ▁There ▁were ▁two ▁previous ▁Att or ne