 He has also held positions in the Treasury and has been Deputy Secretary of Justice (Public Law) in the New Zealand Ministry of Justice and Deputy Solicitor-General (Public Law) in the New Zealand Crown Law Office.He is son of former Prime Minister Sir Geoffrey Palmer, who was also a professor of law at Victoria University for many years.Matthew Palmer is author of "The Treaty of Waitangi in New Zealand's Law and Constitution", which was published in November 2008.