More pipe dreams from Justice Minister
new-zealand-labour-party
Wed Apr 17 2013 12:00:00 GMT+1200 (New Zealand Standard Time)
More pipe dreams from Justice Minister
Wednesday, 17 April 2013, 5:09 pm
Press Release: New Zealand Labour Party
Andrew
LITTLE
Justice Spokesperson
17 April 2013 MEDIA STATEMENT
More pipe dreams from Justice Minister
The Government should concentrate on fixing up the present chaos in the court system before embarking on an indulgent academic exercise of re-writing the laws covering it, Labour’s Justice spokesperson Andrew Little says.
“Justice Minister Judith Collins is planning to introduce a Bill later this year updating statutes governing our judicial system, saying it will improve transparency and help enhance public confidence in the system.
It is disappointing, then, that there will be no provision for a register of interests as a guard against conflicts of interest.
“The over-arching principle of our legal system and the rule of law is that justice must be done and be seen to be done, and a register of interest provides greater assurance that we can meet this standard.
"However, the reality is the court system today is in chaos in many centres in New Zealand and nothing in Judith Collins' announcement today will fix the problems that are being felt now.
"Lawyers, clients, judges and registry staff are all complaining of job cuts, growing delays and a total loss of morale all because of this government's botched handling of changes to the operations of our courts.
"The experience of the Auckland Family court and centralisation, all in the name of greater efficiency, has been an unmitigated disaster with lost files and the rapid loss of experienced staff.
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"If the government insists on going ahead with re-writing the laws covering our courts in order to lift public confidence then they will need to look at how to deal with the sensitive issue of conflicts of interest.
"And if Judith Collins goes ahead with a new law, let's not have her usual approach of presenting Parliament with a pipe dream then capitulating when reality catches up with her."
ENDS
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