Chief Victims Advisor to Government Dr Kim McGregor, QSO, will have her role extended until November 2018, Justice Minister Amy Adams announced today.
“During her tenure, Dr McGregor has provided important research and advice from the perspectives of victims that have been invaluable to me as Justice Minister and to senior officials across the justice sector,” says Ms Adams.
The Government is taking steps to ensure that small grocery businesses can continue to hold liquor licences, Associate Justice Minister Mark Mitchell announced today.
The moves are designed to ensure the continued responsible sale and supply of alcohol. Under the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012, grocery stores can hold an off-licence if the store’s principal business is the sale of food products, which is based on sales revenue.
A Bill to allow historical convictions for homosexual offences to be removed will help put right a wrong from the past, says Justice Minister Amy Adams.
The Criminal Records (Expungement of Convictions for Historical Homosexual Offences) Bill was introduced to Parliament today.
“The tremendous hurt and stigma suffered by those who were affected can never be fully undone, but I hope that this Bill will go some way toward addressing that,” says Ms Adams.
The Government will shortly introduce legislation aimed at putting the Public Trust on an equal footing with private sector institutions.
The new legislation will remove the Crown guarantee of the Public Trust, in line with government policy for several decades that Crown-owned commercial businesses should not have a competitive advantage through being Crown-owned, Finance Minister Steven Joyce says.
Justice and Courts Minister Amy Adams has today tabled the Law Commission’s report on proposals to modernise New Zealand’s contempt of court laws.
“Contempt law is intended to protect the integrity of the justice system and maintain public confidence in the administration of justice,” says Ms Adams.
Disability advocate and former paralympian Paula Tesoriero has been appointed as the Human Rights Commission’s next Disability Rights Commissioner, Associate Justice Minister Mark Mitchell announced today.
The position of Disabilities Rights Commissioner was created by an amendment to the Human Rights Act 1993 passed last year. Ms Tesoriero replaces Paul Gibson, who was the first Human Rights Commissioner with a formal responsibility for disability issues.
Police Minister Paula Bennett and Justice Minister Amy Adams say using digital devices to take onsite statements from victims of family violence will reduce the stress on victims, save Police time and create richer evidence for the courts.
The Alcohol and Other Drug Treatment (AODT) Court pilot has been extended for a further three years, Justice and Courts Minister Amy Adams announced today.
The AODT Court pilot, which began in November 2012 in the Waitakere and Auckland District Courts, aims to help reduce alcohol and drug use, reoffending and imprisonment. It identifies offenders whose alcohol and other drug dependency is behind a pattern of serious offending and diverts them from prison into treatment under the close supervision of the Court.
Drink driving charges have halved since 2009, says Justice Minister Amy Adams.
Latest drink driving offence figures show the number of people charged in 2016 was 16,304 compared to 31,933 in 2009.
“Almost 16,000 fewer people were charged with drink driving offences in 2016 compared to 2009. That’s a 49 per cent decrease in seven years, reflecting a better understanding by New Zealanders of the dangers of drink driving,” says Ms Adams.
New guides to support the family violence sector to provide consistent and effective help to victims and perpetrators are being launched today by Justice Minister Amy Adams and Social Development Minister Anne Tolley at the Family Violence Summit in Wellington.
Over 120 key players in the family violence sector are attending the Summit today to build on conversations to date about how to work together better to tackle New Zealand’s horrific rate of family violence.
Former Secretary for Justice Belinda Clark has been appointed as Law Commissioner, Justice Minister Amy Adams announced today.
“Ms Clark brings a wealth of experience, having worked at the highest levels of the public service both here and across the Tasman,” Ms Adams says.
Budget 2017 will provide an extra $46.9 million of operating funding over the next four years for new services to reduce burglary and youth offending, Justice Minister Amy Adams and Associate Justice Minister Mark Mitchell say.
The funding is part of the Government’s Social Investment Package of $321 million over four years in Budget 2017.
“A new initiative to boost our Government’s efforts to prevent and reduce the number of burglaries will receive $32.9 million,” Ms Adams says.
Budget 2017 invests $37.2 million of operating funding to reduce the harm caused by family violence, Justice Minister Amy Adams and Social Development Minister Anne Tolley say.
$22.4 million will extend the Integrated Safety Response (ISR) pilots for another two years.
Budget 2017 invests $1.24 billion of new operating funding over four years and $785.6 million of capital funding in law and order initiatives to help make our communities safer, Police Minister Paula Bennett, Justice and Courts Minister Amy Adams, and Corrections Minister Louise Upston say.
“The extra investment in Budget 2017 includes the $503.8 million Safer Communities Package which was announced earlier this year and will deliver an additional 1,125 police staff,” Mrs Bennett says.
Associate Minister of Justice Mark Mitchell travels to Melbourne today to attend the Law, Crime and Community Safety Council (LCCSC).
The LCCSC is a joint-ministerial council which helps maintain an Australian and Trans-Tasman focus on fighting crime and promoting best practice in law, criminal justice and community safety.
“I am looking forward to meeting my Australian counterparts and discussing ways we can collaborate on issues of real importance like family violence, cyber-bullying, and cyber-crime,” Mr Mitchell says.
Tēnā Koutou Katoa
It is my honour to join with you all on this ANZAC morning.
May I begin by thanking the people of Turkey for their gracious welcome to those of us who come from the other side of the world to remember some of the most defining times in our nation’s history.
In particular can I acknowledge Bekir Sitki Dağ, the Deputy Governor of Çanakkale, and the Honourable Julie Bishop, Foreign Minister of Australia.
Justice Minister Amy Adams leaves for Turkey today as New Zealand’s official representative at the 102nd ANZAC Day commemorations at Gallipoli.
“The Gallipoli campaign has become a defining event in New Zealand's history. It will be my privilege to share the occasion with the hundreds of New Zealanders who have travelled across the globe to attend,” Ms Adams says.
Work is underway on the most significant upgrade to the Taumarunui courthouse in 40 years, says Justice Minister Amy Adams.
“The $1.4 million upgrade includes interior redecoration, exterior surface refresh and cell upgrade,” says Ms Adams.
“A key part of the upgrade will be improved security features including a screened-off secure dock. This will provide enhanced security to the community.”
The courthouse was built in 1970 and hosts a single courtroom and a cell.
A Bill that overhauls New Zealand’s family violence laws has passed its first reading in Parliament today with unanimous support, says Justice Minister Amy Adams.
“For too long, New Zealand has been ranked as having some of the worst reported rates of family violence in the world. It’s time to think about family violence differently and create an effective, integrated system for addressing this complex and insidious issue,” says Ms Adams.
Police Minister Paula Bennett and Justice Minister Amy Adams have today announced $10 million for initiatives to improve Māori justice outcomes.
“It is well known that Māori are overrepresented at every stage in the criminal justice system. We’re not prepared to accept that continuing,” says Mrs Bennett.
“Tackling this issue is a priority for the justice sector which is why we have set aside $10 million of the Justice Sector Fund for initiatives that will improve outcomes for Māori in the justice system,” says Ms Adams.
A potentially life-saving scheme that allows Police to disclose a person’s violent past to a partner or friend has been used 158 times since it was launched, say Police Minister Paula Bennett and Justice Minister Amy Adams.
“Since the scheme’s launch in December 2015, Police have approved 74 per cent of disclosure requests. Preventing family violence is a priority for Police and this scheme gives them another way to help reduce harm.”
Legislation passed in 2015 to curb cyber-bullying is effectively weeding out and punishing the worst offenders, says Justice Minister Amy Adams.
“The Harmful Digital Communications Act made it illegal to send messages and post material online that deliberately causes a victim serious emotional distress,” says Ms Adams.
Victims of crime are continuing to benefit from the Government’s Offender Levy which has generated more than $25 million since it was introduced, says Justice Minister Amy Adams.
The $50 levy, which contributes to support services for victims, has been imposed on all offenders at the point of sentencing since 2010.
“The Offender Levy is a way to help ease the financial and emotional burden that falls on victims of crime and ensures that offenders contribute to addressing the harm their crimes have caused,” says Ms Adams.
