Dame Lowell Goddard has refused to appear before British MPs to defend her spell in charge of the historical child sex abuse inquiry.
In a letter to MPs, she added she was “disappointed” that ministers had not defended her against “malicious defamatory attacks in some UK media”.
Yvette Cooper, who chairs the Commons home affairs select committee, said the stance of Dame Lowell – who received an estimated £500,000 ($837, 000) for her 18-month spell in charge – was “disgraceful” and “astonishing”.