New Zealand Law Society - Advocacy in Action

Advocacy in Action

Access to justice impacted by proposed repeal of sentencing report funding

Yesterday’s announcement that the Government will introduce legislation withdrawing funding for "cultural reports”, will significantly limit access to justice, the New Zealand Law Society Te Kāhui Ture o Aotearoa says.

Letters to incoming Ministers

The New Zealand Law Society Te Kāhui Ture o Aotearoa has written to several incoming Ministers about some of our key law reform priorities:

Law Society concerned about the use of urgency to repeal resource management legislation

Today the Government has passed under urgency, legislation to repeal the Natural and Built Environments Act (NBEA) and Spatial Planning Act (SPA) without referral to a select committee. The Government has also stated its intention to suspend the requirement for a Regulatory Impact Statement (RIS) to be completed where proposals…

Evidence Act 2006 – misconceptions and Example Directions – NZLS feedback

In August 2023, Te Kura Kaiwhakawā Institute of Judicial Studies published Example Directions responding to misconceptions on sexual offending. The Example Directions are intended to “provide guidance for judges and lawyers as the first cases came to court that were required to take section 126A of the Evidence Act 2006…

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Proposed ram raid offence in breach of children’s rights

A new bill intended to specifically target ram raid offending by children and young people, is inconsistent with children’s rights, says Law Society spokesperson Dale Lloyd. The New Zealand Law Society Te Kāhui Ture o Aotearoa recently made a written submission to the Justice Select Committee opposing the Ram Raid…

Court appointed Counsel Remuneration Working Group established – Ministry of Justice and Law Society

In February 2020, the Law Society’s Family Law Section wrote to the Minister of Justice seeking an urgent review of court appointed remuneration rates (which had remained unchanged for nearly 25 years) and consideration of a formal mechanism to regularly review and negotiate all court appointed counsel remuneration rates in…

Law Society welcomes changes to Standing Orders

Parliament’s Standing Orders Committee has published its report on the 2023 review of the Standing Orders. The report recommends a number of amendments to the Standing Orders, which were adopted by Parliament last week.
Law Society meets with Independent Electoral Review Panel

Law Society meets with Independent Electoral Review Panel

The Independent Panel undertaking the Independent Electoral Review – He Arotake Pōtitanga Motuhake recently sought feedback on its Interim Report and draft recommendations to reform electoral law in Aotearoa New Zealand. The New Zealand Law Society Te Kāhui Ture o Aotearoa attended meetings with the Independent Panel to discuss the…
Law Society welcomes acknowledgement of concerns over lawyer wellbeing

Law Society welcomes acknowledgement of concerns over lawyer wellbeing

The President of the New Zealand Law Society Te Kāhui Ture o Aotearoa, Frazer Barton has welcomed a letter highlighting concerns over the wellbeing of lawyers across the country. 
Welcome relief for duty lawyers

Welcome relief for duty lawyers

The New Zealand Law Society Te Kāhui Ture o Aotearoa is delighted that duty lawyers across New Zealand are set to receive a 17 per cent pay rise, following an announcement by the Legal Aid Services Commissioner this week.

Law Society seeks improvements to Taxation Principles Reporting Bill

The Law Society appeared before the Finance and Expenditure Select Committee on 15 June to present its submission on the Taxation Principles Reporting Bill. Neil Russ, Convenor of the Tax Law Committee, outlined several significant issues with the Bill, including the failure to follow the Generic Tax Policy Process (GTPP)…
Access to justice and Budget 2023

Access to justice and Budget 2023

Budget 2023 released last week included mention of funding for the legal aid system. These announcements reflect the Budget 2022 increase of $148.741 million across four years: Budget 2023 has not made any further investment in remuneration for legal aid providers. Changes to eligibility and repayment settings are those announced…

Amendments to Returning Offenders legislation passed under urgency despite inconsistency with human rights

Parliament has urgently passed a new Bill today which means ‘501 deportees’ will face parole-like conditions even if they offended before November 2015, despite the Attorney General confirming aspects of the proposed amendments are inconsistent with fundamental human rights.

Law Society recommends providing for post-legislative scrutiny processes in Parliament’s rules

The New Zealand Law Society Te Kāhui Ture o Aotearoa has recommended amending the Standing Orders to provide for processes which empower Parliament to undertake post-legislative scrutiny of legislation.