Sweeping reforms to our laws will build a better system for combatting abuse and will reduce harm, says Justice Minister Amy Adams and Social Development Minister Anne Tolley.

The Government is proposing a broad overhaul of changes to family violence legislation, stemming from the comprehensive review of the 20-year old Domestic Violence Act.

“New Zealand’s rate of family violence is horrendous. It has a devastating impact on individuals and communities, and a profound impact that can span generations and lifetimes,” Ms Adams says.

Comprehensive reforms are being introduced to strengthen how frontline agencies verify the identity of offenders and share that info across public protection agencies, Justice Minister Amy Adams said today.

The Enhancing Identity Verification and Border Processes Legislation Bill has been introduced to Parliament to improve the safety of New Zealanders by streamlining how agencies work together to establish the identity of offenders and ensure their sentences are properly carried out.

A safety service has helped 2637 victims of family violence and their families since it was introduced in October 2014, says Justice Minister Amy Adams.

“The Strengthening Safety Service provides immediate help in safety planning for victims of family violence who do not have a protection order,” says Ms Adams.

The Government will provide $500,000 over two years for short-term emergency housing to ensure perpetrators of family violence can be safely kept away from victims at a time of crisis.

Budget 2016 funding will provide emergency housing in Christchurch and Waikato, where the new Integrated Safety Response pilot is being trialled. The ISR pilot aims to ensure families experiencing family violence are safe and receive the services they need to prevent further harm.

Justice and Courts Minister Amy Adams, says justice service co-locations and refurbishments in two Auckland courts will save more than $5.3 million over 10 years and improve support for victims of crime.

The National Transcription Service will be folded into the North Shore District Court, and the Legal Complaints Review Office and the Weather Tight Homes unit will be relocated to the Auckland District Court.

Ministers today confirmed Waikato would be the second site for the Integrated Safety Response pilot.

The pilot, also being run in Christchurch, brings together different agencies involved in family violence to support victims and their families in a daily safety assessment approach.

Justice and Courts Minister Amy Adams has applauded an initiative by local judges and staff to create a child friendly space for children giving evidence in the Whangarei courthouse. 

“Going to court can be a scary and stressful time for vulnerable child witnesses. It’s important that the justice system is accessible for everyone, including children who are caught up in cases through no fault of their own,” says Ms Adams.

The Government is seeking input into a new Risk Assessment and Management Framework designed to keep victims safer, Ministers have announced.

The framework proposes a better, more consistent way to assess and manage the risks of family violence so victims can get the help they need, whoever they turn to.

“This Government wants to do what we can to ensure that New Zealanders are protected from family violence. We know that properly and consistently identifying risk and intervening earlier is critical to achieving this,” says Justice Minister Amy Adams.

Justice Minister Amy Adams has today confirmed that David Bain’s application for compensation for wrongful conviction and imprisonment has been concluded.

“This case has been one of the most complex, unique and high profile cases New Zealand has ever known,” says Ms Adams.

Ian Callinan QC, a former Justice of Australia’s highest court, was appointed by Ms Adams on 19 March 2015 to provide advice on Mr Bain’s claim. Mr Callinan’s report was received by the Minister on 27 January 2016.

Justice Minister Amy Adams has today announced the Government’s response to a Parliamentary Select Committee report on the 2014 General Election.

After each General Election, as a matter of routine, the Justice and Electoral Select Committee conducts an inquiry, and makes recommendations for potential changes to electoral laws and administrative procedures.

Justice and Courts Minister Amy Adams has welcomed a new joint initiative to use video-conferencing to enable judges to appear virtually in remote courts.

The initiative, involving Family Court judges in Northland and Southland/Central Otago, aims to reduce the number of judicial and court users travelling to remote locations for short fixtures and reduce adjournments associated with poor weather.

Tougher locks and new alarms are just some of the practical measures helping 754 family violence victims stay safe in their homes in the first year of a new programme, Justice Minister Amy Adams has announced.

“For hundreds of family violence victims, moving on with your life no longer means having to move out of your own home, thanks to the success of the National Home Safety Service,” says Ms Adams.

Justice and Courts Minister Amy Adams and Māori Development Minister Te Ururoa Flavell have congratulated the Ministry of Justice on winning the IPANZ Excellence Award for Crown-Māori Relationships for the innovative Rangatahi Courts initiative.

"This award is a superb endorsement of the partnership between the Ministry of Justice and the judiciary to deliver a process that better engages Maori young offenders, drawing on the strength of whānau and iwi,” says Ms Adams.

Ministers today welcomed a new pilot in Christchurch which aims to ensure families experiencing family violence are safe and receive the services they need to prevent further harm.

At the heart of the new approach are government agencies and NGOs working together for families and whānau to provide increased support to high-risk victims, better manage perpetrators and improve collaboration between agencies.

Associate Minister of Justice, Simon Bridges, announced today that he has reappointed Mr Aaron Bhatnagar and appointed Ms Karin Thomas as members of the Real Estate Agents Authority.

Mr Bhatnagar is reappointed for a second term.  Ms Thomas replaces Mr David Russell who has served on the Authority since its inception in 2009. Both appointments will commence on 1 July 2016 for a term of three years.

Justice Minister Amy Adams says an increase in funding of $16.2 million over the next four years will help restorative justice providers meet the growing demand for their services.

“Restorative justice conferences, in which victims and offenders meet in a safe environment and discuss the crime and harm caused, have proven effective in holding offenders to account for what they have done and making victims stronger,” Ms Adams says.

Justice Minister Amy Adams has commenced a review of the Search and Surveillance Act to consider how the law is working in practice and what changes may be desirable.

The statutory review is required under the Act, which specifies that a joint review by the Ministry of Justice and the Law Commission must be underway by 30 June 2016.

“The Search and Surveillance Act governs what powers Police and other government agencies have to search people or property to investigate and prosecute crime,” Ms Adams says.

Justice and Courts Minister Amy Adams has today met with Rotorua court staff and heard about their community initiatives, as part of a local visit.

“The Rotorua court team are doing some incredible work, which includes running the ninth busiest criminal court in the country,” says Ms Adams.

Ms Adams visited the Rotorua court, where a court has operated on the Tutanekai Street site since 1884.

Parliament has passed reforms to make the coronial system more efficient and reduce the impact of coronial investigations on families of people who have died, says Justice Minister Amy Adams.

The Coroners Amendment Bill, which passed its third and final reading in Parliament today, stems from a targeted review of the Coroners Act 2006.

The review showed the system was working well overall but improvements could be made.

Justice Minister Amy Adams today announced that an independent review has found that on the balance of probabilities Teina Pora is innocent of the charges for which he was convicted.

Cabinet has accepted that finding and agreed to pay just over $2.5 million in compensation for his wrongful conviction and imprisonment.

A Bill to improve the Human Rights Commission’s ability to deal with crucial issues passed its third and final reading in Parliament today.

Justice Minister Amy Adams says the Human Rights Amendment Bill changes the composition, governance arrangements, functions and powers of the Commission.

A Bill to improve the court experience of vulnerable witnesses passed its second reading in Parliament today with unanimous support.

Justice Minister Amy Adams says the Evidence Amendment Bill introduces new safeguards for children and victims of sexual violence who give evidence.

“Being questioned in court can be a distressing experience in the best of circumstances. This Bill will help to lessen the trauma of giving evidence for the most vulnerable witnesses,” Ms Adams says.

Justice Minister Amy Adams says a funding boost of almost $300,000 a year will help the Independent Police Conduct Authority to better address complaints as it faces an increased workload.

“The $1.2 million funding over the next four years will ensure the IPCA can successfully deal with the caseload of complaints which have been growing steadily in recent years,” Ms Adams says.

More than 2500 complaints were received in 2014/15 – an increase of 15 per cent on the previous year.

Justice Minister Amy Adams has today announced that internet safety organisation NetSafe has been appointed as the “Approved Agency” under the Harmful Digital Communications Act 2015.

“NetSafe will play a key role in reducing the devastating impact of harmful digital communications, by providing a timely and effective service for victims to get help from an independent body,” says Ms Adams.