Patrick James Downey OBE (1 May 1927 – 23 January 2017) was a New Zealand barrister and solicitor.
As the Chief Commissioner, Downey was influential in preventing 'sexual orientation' from being added under the non-discrimination grounds of the 1977 Act, rejecting persistent campaigning from the National Gay Rights Coalition and other supportive groups.
He was for a time chairman of the committee responsible to the corporation for the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra.
[8] In 1977, Downey was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal.
[3] In the 1991 New Year Honours, he was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire, for services to the community.