Displaying 193 - 216 of 438 results.

Justice Minister Amy Adams has commenced a review of the Search and Surveillance Act to consider how the law is working in practice and what changes may be desirable.

The statutory review is required under the Act, which specifies that a joint review by the Ministry of Justice and the Law Commission must be underway by 30 June 2016.

“The Search and Surveillance Act governs what powers Police and other government agencies have to search people or property to investigate and prosecute crime,” Ms Adams says.

  • Amy Adams
  • Justice

Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce and Communications Minister Amy Adams today welcomed a report showing the technology sector’s value to the New Zealand economy. 

The report, Digital Nation New Zealand: From Tech Sector to Digital Nation, provides analysis of the nature and size of the technology sector and its impact on the New Zealand economy.

  • Amy Adams
  • Steven Joyce
  • Economic Development
  • Communications

New Zealand’s focus on digital infrastructure will be front and centre at an international forum to discuss the growth of the digital economy.

Communications and Broadcasting Minister Amy Adams will travel to Mexico this week to speak at a meeting on the Digital Economy: Innovation, Growth and Social Prosperity.

  • Amy Adams
  • Broadcasting
  • Communications

Justice and Courts Minister Amy Adams has today met with Rotorua court staff and heard about their community initiatives, as part of a local visit.

“The Rotorua court team are doing some incredible work, which includes running the ninth busiest criminal court in the country,” says Ms Adams.

Ms Adams visited the Rotorua court, where a court has operated on the Tutanekai Street site since 1884.

  • Amy Adams
  • Justice
  • Courts

Rotorua’s Ultra-Fast Broadband (UFB) rollout is now complete, meaning nearly 27,000 local residents can connect to New Zealand’s growing fibre network, says Communications Minister Amy Adams.

In Rotorua to mark the completion today, Ms Adams says 18 of the 33 towns and cities included under UFB phase one are now complete.

“Building UFB across the country is an enormous undertaking. It’s the biggest infrastructure project in New Zealand’s history, and it’s being delivered on budget and ahead of schedule,” says Ms Adams.

  • Amy Adams
  • Communications

Parliament has passed reforms to make the coronial system more efficient and reduce the impact of coronial investigations on families of people who have died, says Justice Minister Amy Adams.

The Coroners Amendment Bill, which passed its third and final reading in Parliament today, stems from a targeted review of the Coroners Act 2006.

The review showed the system was working well overall but improvements could be made.

  • Amy Adams
  • Justice

The necessary funding to restore Dunedin’s historic courthouse has been secured in Budget 2016, Courts Minister Amy Adams has announced.

The announcement paves the way for the release of tender documents, which is the next step in finding a contractor to lead the restoration.

“It’s great to see steady progress being made on an iconic project that means a great deal to the Dunedin community,” Ms Adams says.

  • Amy Adams
  • Courts

Justice Minister Amy Adams today announced that an independent review has found that on the balance of probabilities Teina Pora is innocent of the charges for which he was convicted.

Cabinet has accepted that finding and agreed to pay just over $2.5 million in compensation for his wrongful conviction and imprisonment.

  • Amy Adams
  • Justice

A Bill to improve the Human Rights Commission’s ability to deal with crucial issues passed its third and final reading in Parliament today.

Justice Minister Amy Adams says the Human Rights Amendment Bill changes the composition, governance arrangements, functions and powers of the Commission.

  • Amy Adams
  • Justice

A Bill to improve the court experience of vulnerable witnesses passed its second reading in Parliament today with unanimous support.

Justice Minister Amy Adams says the Evidence Amendment Bill introduces new safeguards for children and victims of sexual violence who give evidence.

“Being questioned in court can be a distressing experience in the best of circumstances. This Bill will help to lessen the trauma of giving evidence for the most vulnerable witnesses,” Ms Adams says.

  • Amy Adams
  • Justice

Communications Minister Amy Adams marked the completion of Chorus’s role under the Rural Broadband Initiative (RBI), saying the build would transform rural communities.

Ms Adams was in Waitomo in the Waikato region to switch on the final cabinet and celebrate the successful $234 million cabinet build programme, alongside the Government’s fixed line RBI build partner, Chorus.

  • Amy Adams
  • Communications

Broadcasting Minister Amy Adams today announced two reappointments to the Board of Radio New Zealand (RNZ). 

Nelson-based former journalist Richard Griffin has been reappointed as Chair of Radio New Zealand and Jane Taylor, a barrister and professional director from Queenstown, has been reappointed and takes on the role of Deputy Chair.

  • Amy Adams
  • Broadcasting

Communications Minister Amy Adams today announced the completion of the Rural Broadband Initiative (RBI) Phase 1 new tower programme with 154 new cell towers now built ahead of schedule.

Ms Adams was on site to celebrate the completion of the programme in Waipu, and said that under the RBI, nearly 300,000 rural families and businesses are now able to access high speed 3G and 4G broadband services.

  • Amy Adams
  • Communications

Justice Minister Amy Adams says a funding boost of almost $300,000 a year will help the Independent Police Conduct Authority to better address complaints as it faces an increased workload.

“The $1.2 million funding over the next four years will ensure the IPCA can successfully deal with the caseload of complaints which have been growing steadily in recent years,” Ms Adams says.

More than 2500 complaints were received in 2014/15 – an increase of 15 per cent on the previous year.

  • Amy Adams
  • Justice
  • Budget 2016

Justice Minister Amy Adams has today announced that internet safety organisation NetSafe has been appointed as the “Approved Agency” under the Harmful Digital Communications Act 2015.

“NetSafe will play a key role in reducing the devastating impact of harmful digital communications, by providing a timely and effective service for victims to get help from an independent body,” says Ms Adams.

  • Amy Adams
  • Justice

The pioneering work of the Ngā Kooti Rangatahi/Rangatahi Court has been acknowledged in its receipt of the 2015 Australasian Institute of Judicial Administration Award (AIJA) for Excellence in Judicial Administration, says Courts and Justice Minister Amy Adams.   

“I want to congratulate the judges and Ministry of Justice, in particular the Chief District Court Judge and Principal Youth Court Judge, and Youth Court Judge Heemi Taumaunu who established the first Rangatahi Court in Gisborne back in 2008,” says Ms Adams.

  • Amy Adams
  • Justice
  • Courts

Budget 2016 invests heavily in core justice services, with $208.4 million in additional funding over the next four years – the largest increase to Justice and Courts in almost a decade, Justice and Courts Minister Amy Adams says.

“This investment underpins the Government’s commitment to delivering core justice services and keeping New Zealanders safe. It will better support access to justice and strengthen efficiencies across the system,” Ms Adams says. 

  • Amy Adams
  • Justice
  • Courts
  • Budget 2016

Former Appeal Court Judge Hon Douglas White QC has been appointed as the next President of the Law Commission, Justice Minister Amy Adams announced today. 

Justice White was appointed as a part-time Law Commissioner in February and becomes President effective immediately, as Sir Grant Hammond is stepping down after nearly six years in the role.

“Justice White is a distinguished lawyer and judge, and I’m pleased that a jurist of his calibre is set to lead the Commission,” Ms Adams says.     

  • Amy Adams
  • Justice

Budget 2016 will invest $46 million of operating funding over four years to better support victims and prevent sexual violence, Justice Minister Amy Adams and Social Development Minister Anne Tolley say.

The $46 million in total funding, of which $6.4 million is reprioritised funding, will be used to design and implement new sexual violence services and maintain existing services.

  • Anne Tolley
  • Amy Adams
  • Social Development
  • Justice
  • Budget 2016

The Inquiry report into the management of Tony Douglas Robertson before and after his release from prison is being released today by Justice Minister Amy Adams and Corrections Minister Judith Collins.

  • Judith Collins
  • Amy Adams
  • Justice
  • Corrections

Justice Minister Amy Adams has welcomed the start of the search for a new Chief Electoral Officer.

Current Chief Electoral Officer Robert Peden advised Ms Adams last year that he would not be seeking reappointment after completing a five-year term in the role.

The Chief Electoral Officer is the Chief Executive and member of the three-person Board of the Electoral Commission, appointed by the Governor-General on the recommendation of Parliament. 

Ms Adams says the Commission plays a central role in New Zealand's democratic process.

  • Amy Adams
  • Justice

Justice Minister Amy Adams today welcomed the Law Commission’s comprehensive report on improving criminal law relating to family violence victims who commit homicide acting in self-defence.

“A terrible consequence of family violence is that some victims are driven to killing their abusers – as a result of often years of abuse,” says Ms Adams.

  • Amy Adams
  • Justice

Good morning

It’s great to have the opportunity to open Wellington’s Privacy Forum and to talk to you about privacy this morning.

Can I start by acknowledging:

  • John Edwards, Privacy Commissioner
  • Joe Cannataci, UN Special Rapporteur for the Right to Privacy

Ladies and gentlemen, we live in the age of information. We are creating and disseminating information like never before.

  • Amy Adams
  • Justice

Under the Government’s Ultra-Fast Broadband (UFB) and Rural Broadband Initiative (RBI) rollouts, more than 1.2 million New Zealanders can now connect to faster and more reliable internet, Communications Minister Amy Adams announced today.

“Now, more than 921,000 households, businesses, schools and hospitals are able to connect to the UFB network, and more than 285,000 rural premises are able to access a RBI service,” says Ms Adams.

  • Amy Adams
  • Communications