Justice
Release

The Integrated Safety Response (ISR) pilot has helped over 24,000 people through the development of more than 8,000 family safety plans, say Justice Minister Amy Adams and Social Development Minister Anne Tolley.

The ISR pilot involves core agencies and NGOs teaming up to ensure that families experiencing violence get the right support to stay safe. It has been running in Christchurch since July 2016 and in Waikato since October 2016.

Anne Tolley Amy Adams Social Development Justice
Release

A Bill to tackle money laundering and curb funding of terrorism has passed its first reading in Parliament today with unanimous support, says Justice Minister Amy Adams.

The Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Amendment Bill will put in place the second phase of the AML/CFT Act.

Amy Adams Justice
Release

The vast majority of victims who participated in restorative justice benefitted from the process, according to a survey released today by Justice Minister Amy Adams.

Restorative justice conferences are face-to-face meetings between victims and offenders, where they can discuss the crime and the harm caused.

“Restorative justice is an important part of giving victims of crime more support and a stronger voice,” says Ms Adams.

Amy Adams Justice
Release

A national summit on family violence will be hosted by Justice Minister Amy Adams and Social Development Minister Anne Tolley in Wellington on June 7.

“We know that family violence is a significant and complex issue in New Zealand, with Police responding to an incident every five minutes. That’s why I’ve made helping to reduce family violence my core priority,” says Ms Adams.

Anne Tolley Amy Adams Social Development Justice
Release

A new Ministry of Justice publication launched today by Justice Minister Amy Adams showcases how fresh thinking by talented people is helping to address complex issues in the justice sector.

Ms Adams says the Justice: Our People, Our Communities booklet shares stories about people and initiatives that are making a real difference to New Zealanders’ experiences of our courts and justice system.

Amy Adams Justice
Release

Legislation that overhauls the family violence system is a core part of reducing New Zealand’s horrendous rate of family violence, says Justice Minister Amy Adams.

The Family and Whānau Violence Legislation Bill was introduced to Parliament today to overhaul the Domestic Violence Act, amend six Acts and make consequential changes to over thirty pieces of law.

Amy Adams Justice
Release

Two Bills that modernise electoral law have passed through Parliament and will be implemented before this year’s election, Associate Justice Minister Mark Mitchell says.

“The Electoral Amendment Bill and the Broadcasting (Election Programmes and Election Advertising) Amendment Bill will help make the election process more efficient and fit for purpose,” Mr Mitchell says.

Mark Mitchell Justice
Release

A Bill to tackle money laundering and terrorist financing has been introduced to Parliament today by Justice Minister Amy Adams.

The Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Amendment Bill will bolster New Zealand’s existing anti-money laundering laws, which help protect businesses and make it harder for criminals to profit from and fund illegal activities.

“This puts in place the second phase of the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Act (AML/CFT), which we fast-tracked work on last year,” says Ms Adams.

Amy Adams Justice
Release

Crime rates are significantly lower than in 2011, but latest figures show that challenges remain to tackle crime and reoffending, says Justice Minister Amy Adams.

The Justice Sector’s BPS results for the year ended September 2016 released today show slight increases across the four targets over the last quarter, although they all remain down on 2011 levels.

Amy Adams Justice
Release

Families grappling with violence will be able to avoid contentious meetings during children handovers thanks to a new pilot launched by the Government.

“In the absence of funded supervised hand-over services, some victims of family violence risk continued exposure to violent and abusive behaviour as they facilitate their children’s contact with an ex-partner,” says Ms Adams.

Anne Tolley Amy Adams Social Development Justice
Release

Initiatives to reduce crime and reoffending have been made possible through smart fiscal management by justice sector agencies, says Justice Minister Amy Adams.

The Justice Sector Fund allows money saved in one justice sector agency to be used in another. Since its establishment in 2012, it has distributed $257 million of savings into 60 initiatives across the justice sector.

Amy Adams Justice Courts
Release

Justice and Courts Minister Amy Adams has welcomed the return of court services to Kaikoura.

The District Court at Kaikoura has held its first hearing since the earthquake with 29 people appearing. Court services had been unable to run in the town since it was struck by an earthquake last November.

Ms Adams thanked the court staff and judiciary for all their hard work to ensure services were quickly re-established.

Amy Adams Justice Courts
Release

Our justice system has been improved and is now easier for New Zealanders to use, Associate Justice Minister Mark Mitchell says.

“The Judicature Modernisation Bill is an important law reform that helps modernise our courts, with most of the changes coming into effect today,” Mr Mitchell says.

“Courts are a fundamental part of the justice system, and these changes will help provide a better service for witnesses, court staff, defendants, and our communities who use the courts.

Mark Mitchell Justice
Release

The Government will introduce a new scheme to address historical convictions for homosexual offences, Justice Minister Amy Adams has announced.

“While the Homosexual Law Reform Act 1986 decriminalised consensual sex between men aged 16 and over, convictions for those offences remain on record and can appear in criminal history checks,” Ms Adams says.

Amy Adams Justice
Release

More frontline services and extra places in perpetrator programmes are on the way for the multi-agency Integrated Safety Response pilot, following an additional injection of funding, Ministers have announced.

An extra $680,000 will allow the Christchurch ISR pilot to continue its work to combat family and sexual violence.

“The ISR pilot takes a whole-of-family approach to stop family violence by identifying risks and intervening earlier,” Ms Adams says.

Anne Tolley Amy Adams Social Development Justice
Release

The justice sector will receive an extra $115 million over four years to support the rollout of more police on the beat.

Justice and Courts Minister Amy Adams and Corrections Minister Louise Upston say the additional investment supports the work already underway to prevent crime and make communities safer. The $115 million funding boost for the Ministry of Justice and Department of Corrections is part of the Government’s larger $503 million Safer Communities package announced yesterday.

Louise Upston Amy Adams Justice Courts Corrections
Release

Justice Minister Amy Adams has welcomed New Zealand’s return to the top of global transparency rankings.

A number of Government initiatives have helped return New Zealand to first equal in the world, along with Denmark, in Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index. New Zealand scored 90 points out of 100.

Amy Adams Justice
Release

New Zealanders and affected sectors will have their chance to have input into a new draft law to combat the $1.3 billion laundered each year by criminals, Justice Minister Amy Adams has announced.

The Government announced in June that it would fast-track the second phase of its Anti-Money Laundering (AML) reforms to cover lawyers, accountants, real estate agents and other high-value dealers.

Amy Adams Justice
Release

Justice and Courts Minister Amy Adams says the $300 million Christchurch Justice and Emergency Services Precinct build is well advanced and on track to be fully operational in mid-2017.

The anchor project brings together all justice and emergency services in one purpose-built precinct in central Christchurch.

“The new Precinct is designed to provide Cantabrians and those who work in our courts with modern and effective justice and emergency services,” says Ms Adams.

Amy Adams Justice Courts
Release

The youth justice system will be extended to include lower risk 17 year-olds, Justice Minister Amy Adams and Social Development Minister Anne Tolley have announced today.

The changes, which will take place by 2019, will ensure that all 17 year-old offenders are dealt with according to which jurisdiction is best suited to the particular case.

The vast majority of 17 year-old offenders are lower risk. They will be dealt with in the Youth Court where the interventions are more targeted and lead to better results.

Anne Tolley Amy Adams Social Development Justice
Release

Supermarkets will be able to sell low and non-alcohol beer alongside regular beer under changes passed by Parliament.

The Sale and Supply of Alcohol (Display of Low-alcohol Beverages and Other Remedial Matters) Amendment Bill makes three minor technical changes to alcohol legislation.

The Bill permits supermarkets and grocery stores to display low-alcohol and non-alcoholic beer and wine in the same area of the store as regular alcohol. It also clarifies that a company can hold an alcohol licence.

Amy Adams Justice
Speech

Good afternoon and thank you for the invitation to speak at the Government Economics Network today.

For as long as can be remembered, Governments have used data to inform economic policy.

Forecasts and robust modelling sit comfortably alongside fiscal policy. Detailed economic data stretching back into the nineteenth century has helped inform future economic policy and its impacts.

Amy Adams Justice
Release

Justice Minister Amy Adams has today encouraged all New Zealanders to stand up, speak out and act to prevent violence against women this White Ribbon Day.

“Family violence and sexual violence is far too common in New Zealand. It’s a challenge that this Government is confronting, but we all have a role to play in tackling it,” says Ms Adams.

“As a nation, we need to stop family violence in all its forms.”

Amy Adams Justice
Release

Justice and Courts Minister Amy Adams has welcomed the completion of New Plymouth Courthouse’s $3.9 million upgrade.

“The renovations are the largest upgrade to New Plymouth’s 50-year old court,” says Ms Adams.

“The upgraded courthouse includes a refreshed registry space bringing all court registry staff into the one building, and creating one contact point for court customers.

Amy Adams Justice Courts