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New Zealanders and affected sectors will have their chance to have input into a new draft law to combat the $1.3 billion laundered each year by criminals, Justice Minister Amy Adams has announced.

The Government announced in June that it would fast-track the second phase of its Anti-Money Laundering (AML) reforms to cover lawyers, accountants, real estate agents and other high-value dealers.

Justice and Courts Minister Amy Adams says the $300 million Christchurch Justice and Emergency Services Precinct build is well advanced and on track to be fully operational in mid-2017.

The anchor project brings together all justice and emergency services in one purpose-built precinct in central Christchurch.

“The new Precinct is designed to provide Cantabrians and those who work in our courts with modern and effective justice and emergency services,” says Ms Adams.

The youth justice system will be extended to include lower risk 17 year-olds, Justice Minister Amy Adams and Social Development Minister Anne Tolley have announced today.

The changes, which will take place by 2019, will ensure that all 17 year-old offenders are dealt with according to which jurisdiction is best suited to the particular case.

The vast majority of 17 year-old offenders are lower risk. They will be dealt with in the Youth Court where the interventions are more targeted and lead to better results.

Supermarkets will be able to sell low and non-alcohol beer alongside regular beer under changes passed by Parliament.

The Sale and Supply of Alcohol (Display of Low-alcohol Beverages and Other Remedial Matters) Amendment Bill makes three minor technical changes to alcohol legislation.

The Bill permits supermarkets and grocery stores to display low-alcohol and non-alcoholic beer and wine in the same area of the store as regular alcohol. It also clarifies that a company can hold an alcohol licence.

Good afternoon and thank you for the invitation to speak at the Government Economics Network today.

For as long as can be remembered, Governments have used data to inform economic policy.

Forecasts and robust modelling sit comfortably alongside fiscal policy. Detailed economic data stretching back into the nineteenth century has helped inform future economic policy and its impacts.

Justice Minister Amy Adams has today encouraged all New Zealanders to stand up, speak out and act to prevent violence against women this White Ribbon Day.

“Family violence and sexual violence is far too common in New Zealand. It’s a challenge that this Government is confronting, but we all have a role to play in tackling it,” says Ms Adams.

“As a nation, we need to stop family violence in all its forms.”

Justice and Courts Minister Amy Adams has welcomed the completion of New Plymouth Courthouse’s $3.9 million upgrade.

“The renovations are the largest upgrade to New Plymouth’s 50-year old court,” says Ms Adams.

“The upgraded courthouse includes a refreshed registry space bringing all court registry staff into the one building, and creating one contact point for court customers.

Justice Minister Amy Adams has wished Netsafe well as it begins its role as the Approved Agency under the Harmful Digital Communications Act.

“From today, Netsafe has responsibility for receiving, assessing and investigating complaints about harm caused to individuals by digital communications,” says Ms Adams.

“This is a free, seven-day-a-week service which is available to all people in New Zealand who experience online harassment or cyber-bullying.

Justice Minister Amy Adams has congratulated Dr Kim McGregor on her first year as the inaugural Chief Victims Advisor to Government.

“Dr McGregor has quickly become a valuable and trusted source of independent advice to me as Justice Minister, and to senior officials across the justice sector,” says Ms Adams.

“Dr McGregor has contributed to a number of cross-agency initiatives, and is a visible presence across sector work as a member of senior government and governance boards working to improve outcomes for victims.

Justice Minister Amy Adams today released draft legislation that will update our trust law and aid in their administration.

“Trusts play an important role in New Zealand. Between 300,000 and 500,000 trusts are operating today. Every day, ordinary New Zealanders use them to manage their finances, with an estimated 15 per cent of private houses held in a trust. They also form part of the economic backbone of the commercial and social sectors,” says Ms Adams.

Justice Minister Amy Adams today announced the garden at the Auckland High Court would be developed as a memorial garden in memory of former High Court Judge, Sir Robert Chambers.

“This is a fitting tribute to someone who served the law with distinction and was highly regarded among New Zealand’s legal fraternity,” says Ms Adams.

Good morning.

Can I start by acknowledging Martin Cocker, chief executive of NetSafe.

I would like to welcome you all to New Zealand’s first conference focused on harmful digital communications.

It’s an important topic and one that matters now more than ever before. Bullying is not a new problem but its reach and its impact have increased considerably in the digital age. I’m sure many of us either have, or know of someone who has, been a victim of online bullying.

The Broadcasting (Election Programmes and Election Advertising) Amendment Bill, recently introduced to the House by Justice and Broadcasting Minister Amy Adams, has today received its first reading.

The Bill will remove the requirement for opening and closing addresses to be broadcast at election time and instead allow parties to advertise more flexibly and effectively, using their funding allocations under the Broadcasting Act.

Under the bill, parties will also be able to use this funding to advertise online, rather than only on television and radio.

Justice Minister Amy Adams and Social Development Minister Anne Tolley say that a comprehensive information sharing framework is to be created to keep vulnerable children and young people safe from harm, as part of the radical overhaul of care and protection.

Justice and Courts Minister Amy Adams has welcomed a new pilot programme which sees Community Magistrates sitting in Christchurch from today  – the first time the judicial officers have sat in the South Island.

The Christchurch pilot programme will run for two months and is part of the work of the Christchurch Justice and Emergency Services Precinct project to test new ways of working to benefit the justice system. 

Crime is significantly down over the last five years, but the latest figures highlight that more work needs to be done to drive it down further, Justice Minister Amy Adams says.

The Justice Sector’s BPS results for the quarter ending June 2016 released today show increases in all four measures, although all remain down on 2011 levels. 

Ministers today welcomed the start of the second Integrated Safety Response (ISR) pilot site in Waikato and announced another $1.4 million in new funding to support the pilot programme.

The ISR pilot involves core agencies and specialist family violence NGOs working together as a team to ensure that families experiencing violence get the help and support they need to stay safe.

An additional $1.4 million from the Justice Sector Fund will support the new site in Waikato, as well as the Christchurch pilot site which has been up and running since 4 July.

Justice Minister Amy Adams will today travel to Melbourne to attend the Law, Crime and Community Safety Council (LCCSC).

“The LCCSC is a joint-Ministerial council which helps maintain a consistent Trans-Tasman focus on fighting crime and promoting best practice in law, criminal justice and community safety,” says Ms Adams.

The meeting will focus on a range of topics including:

Justice Minister Amy Adams has today announced two key appointments to the Electoral Commission.

Alicia Wright is to be appointed as the Chief Electoral Officer of the Commission and Kristy McDonald QC as the Deputy Chair. Both will be appointed for a term of five years.

Ms Adams says the Commission requires strong leadership in order to maintain New Zealand’s politically neutral and independent democratic processes.

A new pilot that aims to speed up sexual violence court cases should help reduce trauma for victims during the court process, says Justice Minister Amy Adams.

Ms Adams today welcomed the announcement by Chief District Court Judge Jan-Marie Doogue that two dedicated sexual violence courts will be trialled in Whangarei and Auckland.

Justice and Broadcasting Minister Amy Adams says a planned refresh of the outdated format of election broadcasts will modernise them in time for the 2017 General Election.

Ms Adams announced today that the Broadcasting (Election Programmes and Election Advertising) Amendment Bill will be introduced to Parliament next week.

The Bill will remove the requirement for political parties’ opening and closing election broadcasts to be aired on television and radio. It will also remove the requirement for TVNZ and Radio NZ to provide free time for these.

A Bill to improve how low strength beer and wine can be sold passed its second reading in Parliament last night.

The Sale and Supply of Alcohol (Display of Low-alcohol Beverages and Other Remedial Matters) Amendment Bill makes three minor technical changes to New Zealand’s alcohol legislation.

“Under the wording in the current law, supermarkets and grocery stores that sell low-alcohol and non-alcoholic beer and wine cannot place them in the same area as regular strength alcohol,” says Justice Minister Amy Adams.

The recent upgrade to audio visual technology in the Hastings Court is a welcome addition to the network of courts and prisons which allows remote appearances in courts, Justice and Courts Minister Amy Adams says.

“Equipping the Hastings Court with an audio-visual link (AVL) will increase the number of defendants who make virtual appearances in our courts without leaving prison,” says Ms Adams.

Associate Justice Minister Simon Bridges has welcomed three major banks agreeing to a funding proposal to assist community law centres.

Community law centres are funded partly by the Government and partly from the pooled interest on money held in lawyers’ trust accounts.

ASB, Westpac and ANZ have volunteered to take a smaller share of the interest than they are entitled to by law, meaning community law centres will receive more. BNZ and TSB Bank are already doing so.