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Thank you Miriam, and thank you Prime Minister.

I would like to reiterate the Prime Minister’s welcome to you. In particular I welcome our international guests:

Justice Minister Judith Collins says the latest Justice sector Better Public Services results for reducing crime and re-offending, are the best quarterly results since the targets were set.

The Better Public Services (BPS) targets set a goal of a 15 per cent reduction in total crime by June 2017, compared to baseline figures from June 2011.

“It’s fantastic news that our latest Justice sector BPS results show the total crime rate has reduced by 14 per cent between June 2011 and December 2013,” says Ms Collins.

Justice Minister Judith Collins has today announced justice sector experts will converge on Wellington this Tuesday for New Zealand’s first Leading Justice Symposium.

“This Symposium will bring high-calibre experts together to discuss and share valuable insights on justice issues and how to address the changing nature of crime,” Ms Collins says.

Justice Minister Judith Collins has received the Ministry of Justice report, The Effectiveness of Alcohol Pricing Policies.

The report considers options for a minimum pricing regime and the possible costs and benefits.

Ms Collins says the Government will not be introducing minimum pricing on alcohol as this would hit moderate drinkers in the pocket when there is no compelling evidence that increasing the price of alcohol is the correct approach.

A successful Justice sector frontline pilot, which saw a dramatic drop in total crime in the Hutt Valley, will benefit three other areas, Justice Minister Judith Collins has announced.

“I’m pleased to announce that a ‘Flagship Programme’ to reduce crime and re-offending has been rolled out to Papakura, Hamilton and the East Coast,” says Ms Collins.

The Flagship Programme is based on the very successful Hutt Valley Innovation Project.

The Government’s Family Court reforms have only been in effect one week but already traffic to the new family justice website has increased fivefold.

Justice Minister Judith Collins says the new website provides fresher, customer-focused information and video support to help New Zealanders settle disputes about the care of their children out of court.

“Every year thousands of cases about how children will be cared for are being decided in court when they don’t need to be,” Ms Collins says.

Restorative justice conferences continue to have a positive impact on reducing crime and empowering victims, Justice Minister Judith Collins says.

Research released today by the Ministry of Justice shows recidivism rates by offenders who went through the restorative justice process are 12 per cent lower compared to similar offenders who did not participate. 

“As well as reducing crime, restorative justice continues to play an important role in empowering victims,” Ms Collins says.

The number of young people facing court charges has fallen to the lowest level since records began more than 20 years ago, Justice Minister Judith Collins announced today.

The latest Child and Youth Prosecution Statistics show the number of children and young people (aged 10 to 16 years) appearing in court in 2013 decreased from 3,012 to 2,487 – the lowest number since the statistical series began in 1992. Since the peak in 2007, the number of children and young people in court has halved from 5,061 to 2,487 – a drop of 51 per cent.

Ladies and gentlemen

Good morning.

Thank you for this – very timely – opportunity to speak to you this morning about the Government’s reforms of New Zealand’s family justice system. Yesterday the Governor-General signed an Order in Council, setting 31 March as the day the new system comes into effect. And later today the Ministry of Justice will launch a new Family Justice website, and begin a public awareness campaign.

The Government’s reforms of our family justice system come into force on Monday 31 March, Justice Minister Judith Collins announced today.

Ms Collins told the Arbitrators’ and Mediators’ Institute of New Zealand (AMINZ) Breakfast meeting in Auckland this morning that the reforms mark the most significant changes to New Zealand’s Family Court since its establishment 33 years ago.

“Our reforms are the culmination of three years of work to bring New Zealand’s family justice system into the 21st Century,” Ms Collins says.

Justice Minister Judith Collins today announced appointments to the Alcohol Regulatory and Licensing Authority, Customs Appeal Authority, Weathertight Homes Tribunal, Private Security Personnel Licensing Authority and Real Estate Agents Authority.

Rotorua District Judge James Weir has been appointed deputy chairperson of the Alcohol Regulatory and Licensing Authority for a term of one year. The Authority considers applications for granting or renewing licenses and certificates and considers appeals and applications for cancellation or suspension of licenses and certificates.

A Bill creating a new order to protect victims of serious violent and sexual offences passed its second reading in Parliament today.

Justice Minister Judith Collins says the Victims’ Orders Against Violent Offenders Bill creates a new non-contact order to help reduce the likelihood of serious violent and sexual offenders coming into contact with their victims.

A bill to improve New Zealand’s electoral law has passed its third and final reading in Parliament today.

Justice Minister Judith Collins says the changes made by the Electoral Amendment Bill will help maintain the high integrity of New Zealand’s electoral system and improve services to voters, candidates and parties.

“We’re lucky to live in a nation where our electoral system has a high level of integrity,” Ms Collins says.

A new information sharing agreement to bolster New Zealand’s efforts to tackle international crime is one step closer.

Justice Minister Judith Collins says the Agreement on Enhancing Cooperation in Preventing and Combating Crime between New Zealand and the United States will allow law enforcement, immigration and border authorities to share information – to the extent permitted by each country’s laws – to prevent, detect and investigate crimes with a penalty of a year or more in prison.

Justice Minister Judith Collins says data such as the excellent results released today in the 2013 Justice Sector Annual Report will be more accessible to members of the public with the launch of a new Datalab tool.

The Datalab tool was launched along with the release of the 2013 Justice Sector Annual Report as a tool enabling easier access to Ministry of Justice data.

“Much of the information currently available about crime and safety trends is situated across various sources and may be hard to find, access, and compile,” says Ms Collins.

The law governing private trusts in New Zealand will be updated and made more accessible, Justice Minister Judith Collins says.

Ms Collins tabled the Government's response to the Law Commission's review of trust law in Parliament today. The Commission is conducting a three-stage review of trust law. It released its first report – focused on express private trusts, which benefit individuals – in September.

Justice Minister Judith Collins has congratulated the New Zealand Council of Victim Support Groups (Victim Support) for winning the New Zealander of the Year Award in the community section.

“I am delighted that Victim Support’s been recognised for the work it does to empower victims of crime to regain control of their lives,” Ms Collins says.

“This achievement is testament to the dedication of over 1,000 volunteers and staff who provide 24/7 help to thousands of victims of crime each year.”

A Bill to strengthen and expand victims’ rights has passed its second reading in Parliament.

Justice Minister Judith Collins says the Victims of Crime Reform Bill improves how victims of crime are treated by the justice system and ensures it is more responsive to their needs.

“People caught up in the criminal system, through no fault of their own, deserve to be treated with dignity and respect,” Ms Collins says.

Good morning

It’s a pleasure to be invited to open this Workshop today.

On behalf of the New Zealand Government, I welcome all the international participants to New Zealand, and to Auckland.

It’s great to see you here.

As Minister of Justice my focus – and that of my Government – is to ensure New Zealand has a high performing justice system which delivers justice to all New Zealanders efficiently and effectively.

Justice Minister Judith Collins has officially opened a workshop for participants from Asia and the Pacific to discuss the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in Auckland today.

The Rome Statute is an international treaty that establishes the international criminal court which was set up to prosecute individuals accused of genocide and other international crimes such as crimes against humanity and war crimes.

Former rugby league coach and businessman Graham Lowe ONZM, QSM has been appointed to chair a forum which will consider whether further restrictions should be placed on the marketing of alcohol.

The Ministerial Forum on Alcohol Advertising and Sponsorship will gather evidence and expert advice about the effectiveness of possible advertising or sponsorship controls.

Justice Minister Judith Collins says Cabinet agreed to the forum in 2011 when the alcohol reform legislation was being considered by Parliament.

Crime and reoffending continues to fall according to the latest progress report on Better Public Service (BPS) to September 2013, Justice Minister Judith Collins announced today.

Claims the Government will scrap the EasyVote card are wrong and irresponsible, Justice Minister Judith Collins says.

Labour’s Justice spokesperson Andrew Little made a number of misleading assertions during the second reading of the Electoral Amendment Bill in Parliament last night.

“The Bill, as reported back by the Justice and Electoral Select Committee, makes no change to the EasyVote card for the 2014 general election,” Ms Collins says.

A bill to improve New Zealand’s electoral law has passed its second reading in Parliament today.

Justice Minister Judith Collins says the Electoral Amendment Bill implements changes following the latest parliamentary select committee review, routinely carried out after each general election.

“The changes made by this Bill will help maintain the high integrity of New Zealand’s electoral system and improve services to voters, candidates and parties,” Ms Collins says.

Measures in the Bill include: