Hon Kris Faafoi

New Zealand’s legal aid scheme will be significantly strengthened with further investment from Budget 2022, Minister of Justice Kris Faafoi announced today.

Justice Minister Kris Faafoi today announced appointments to the independent panel that will lead a review of New Zealand’s electoral law.

The Government is substantially increasing the amount of funding for public media to ensure New Zealanders can continue to access quality local content and trusted news.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern today announced a major package of reforms, which include an early opening of New Zealand’s border and a simplification of immigration settings, to address the immediate skill shortages in New Zealand and speed up the economic recovery from COVID-19.

The Government has announced a major package of law and order measures that further increases Police numbers, addresses gang violence and extends successful rehabilitation programmes to break the cycle of offending and entering a life of crime.

New Zealand is back on the world map for international tourism and business travellers as the country opens up to visitors from around 60 visa-waiver countries who enjoy freer travel here from today.

The Minister for Broadcasting and Media has confirmed the nine-member Establishment Board to lead the work on creating a new public media entity in New Zealand.

Legislation to support the safe operation of the courts during the COVID-19 pandemic has passed its third reading in Parliament.

Justice Minister Kris Faafoi confirmed Parliament’s recommendation to appoint Karl Le Quesne as the new Chief Electoral Officer of the Electoral Commission/Te Kaitiaki Take Kōwhiri.

Australia and New Zealand have jointly agreed that New Zealand will resettle up to 150 refugees per year for three years from Australia’s existing regional processing cohort.

The Government is ramping up an unprecedented scale of humanitarian support for the Ukrainian refugee crisis by introducing a new 2022 Special Ukraine Policy.

Ensuring New Zealanders continue to have access to reliable, trusted, independent information and local content sits at the heart of the decision to create a new public media entity, Minister for Broadcasting and Media Kris Faafoi has announced. 

The Government is putting in place fast-track measures to support Ukrainians to remain in New Zealand or to return here immediately.

The Government is progressing legislation to ensure that courts can continue operating safely and effectively as COVID-19 spreads in the community.

The horticulture and winegrowing sector will have access to 1,600 more workers this season after the Government agreed to increase the Recognised Seasonal Employment Scheme (RSE) cap to 16,000.

Legislation to protect the rights of our rainbow communities and support open and respectful discussion about sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression has passed its third reading in Parliament.

The New Zealand border will reopen to vaccinated Kiwis and other current eligible travellers from Australia at 11.59pm on 27 February and to the same groups from the rest of the world only two weeks later on 13 March.

The latest Youth Justice Indicators Summary report shows a continuing substantial drop in the rate of youth offending.

Justice Minister Kris Faafoi has welcomed news of New Zealand’s ongoing position as top in the world anti-corruption rankings.

The Security Information in Proceedings Legislation Bill has passed its first reading and will now be considered by Parliament’s Justice Committee.

The Minister of Justice and the Minister for the Prevention of Family Violence and Sexual Violence have welcomed the Sexual Violence Legislation Bill passing its final stage in Parliament.

The Minister of Justice has confirmed that the Search and Surveillance Act 2012 will be reviewed as part of the Government’s response to the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the terrorist attack on the Christchurch masjidain on 15 March 2019.