Justice Minister welcomes Evidence Act Review

Justice Minister, Andrew Little, will table the Law Commission’s report - The Second Review of the Evidence Act 2006 in Parliament today.

“It is good to read that, consistent with its 2013 findings, the Law Commission considers that the Evidence Act is generally working well,” says Mr Little.

The report is the result of a two-year review by the Commission of the operation of New Zealand’s law of evidence. The Commission undertook extensive consultation with experts from the legal profession, Government agencies and universities, and built upon its previous reports The 2013 Review of the Evidence Act 2006 and The Justice Response to Victims of Sexual Violence.

The principal purpose of the operational reviews of the Evidence Act is to check how the Act is working in practice and whether any amendments are necessary. 

Among the report’s 27 recommendations are reforms to improve the court process for victims of sexual and family violence, promote greater recognition of tikanga Māori in court procedure, and recommendations to ensure that defendants’ rights to a fair trial are preserved.

“I am looking forward to considering the recommendations for change and working through them in more detail.

“This has been a major piece of work by the Law Commission and I would like to thank them for it, and all the people who contributed to this thorough review of the Evidence Act 2006,” says Mr Little.