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A bill which tackles unaffordable growth in legal aid while ensuring access to justice was introduced to Parliament today by Justice Minister Simon Power.

Mr Power said the current legal aid system is unsustainable, with expenditure rising from $111 million in 2006/07 to $172 million in 2009/10 – an increase of 55 per cent.

“Officials had forecast that if we didn’t take action this growth would result in a $402 million gap in legal aid funding over five years,” Mr Power said.

Thanks, Sir John, for those remarks.

Ladies and Gentlemen …

A woman from a small South Island town borrowed $250 from a payday lender over the internet.

The loan was for two weeks and with interest and fees she was due to pay back $375 from her loan of $250.

But she was not able to pay the full amount back within the two weeks.

Consumer Affairs Minister Simon Power today released research into third-tier lending ahead of the Government’s Financial Summit to be held in Auckland on Thursday. 

The main piece of research, undertaken by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, identified 218 third-tier lenders (lenders who provide personal, non-mortgage loans, excluding banks, building societies, and credit unions) operating in New Zealand, and examined the advertising methods they used.

Key findings include that:

Commerce Minister Simon Power today released the draft version of a bill that stems from the comprehensive review of securities law.

“I’m releasing this bill in draft form to ensure that decisions from this once-in-a-generation opportunity to re-write our securities law are enduring for years to come,” Mr Power said.

“The new legislation will play a crucial role in restoring confidence in our financial markets by providing better protections for mum and dad investors, and clearer rules for companies looking to raise capital.

Consumer Affairs Minister Simon Power today announced the line-up of speakers and chairs for the Government’s Financial Summit to be held in Auckland next Thursday.

The summit will bring together 250 people from community groups, budgeting services, NGOs, banks, financial regulators, and credit companies to look at ways of tackling the problem of irresponsible lending.

Good afternoon and thank you for your welcome.

I enjoy speaking to the Trans-Tasman Business Circle because I always get a huge amount out of sharing ideas with you, at the coalface of the extremely vital trade relationships with our biggest trading partner.

Some of you have probably heard me say that I haven't met an Australian I don't like, but it's true.

And I suspect it's a sentiment that's reciprocated – not for me specifically, but for New Zealanders generally.

Justice Minister Simon Power today announced the appointment of Rodger Haines, QC, as chair of the Human Rights Review Tribunal.

The tribunal reviews proceedings after complaints have been dealt with by the Human Rights Commission, the Privacy Commissioner, or the Health and Disability Commissioner.

“Mr Haines brings a wealth of experience in administrative law and a strong human rights background to the tribunal,” Mr Power said.

He replaces Royden Hindle who did not seek reappointment after completing nearly 10 years as chair.

Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson, Justice Minister Simon Power and Courts Minister Georgina Te Heuheu have all expressed their shock and sorrow at the death of Chief Judge Russell Johnson, who led the District Court for the last six years.

The $50 Offender Levy has been almost twice as successful as the Government’s most optimistic estimates.

Justice Minister Simon Power today announced that the levy collected $3.7 million in its first year, nearly double its forecast of $2 million.

Since July last year, all convicted offenders have been required to pay the levy at the time of sentencing, regardless of the crime they commit. The levy is collected after reparation and before fines, and is in addition to any sentence or court order.

Justice Minister Simon Power is in Australia today to attend the final meeting of the Standing Committee of Attorneys-General (SCAG) in Adelaide.

SCAG is comprised of the Attorneys-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, its states and territories, and New Zealand's Minister of Justice. Norfolk Island has observer status.

“The final meeting will address a number of challenging contemporary justice issues, including cyber crime, social media and privacy, and match-fixing in sport,” Mr Power said.

Justice Minister Simon Power today welcomed the Justice and Electoral Select Committee’s recommended amendments to the Criminal Procedure (Reform and Modernisation) Bill.

The bill contains the most significant reforms of criminal procedure in 50 years.

“The majority of the submitters supported the bill’s overall aims of modernising and speeding up the criminal justice system, while ensuring a defendant's right to a fair trial,” Mr Power said.

Justice Minister Simon Power today welcomed the publication of national guidelines for government agencies, and a new information leaflet for families supporting child witnesses through the criminal justice system.

The guidelines have been developed by the Ministry of Justice, Police, Child, Youth and Family, and Crown Law in response to a report by Auckland University of Technology’s Institute of Public Policy.

The report identified a need for greater consistency between government agencies on how child witnesses are supported through the criminal justice system.

Commerce Minister Simon Power today announced that internet service providers will be able to charge rights holders up to $25 for processing an allegation of copyright infringement.

The decision was made by Cabinet when considering technical regulations to underpin the Copyright (Infringing File Sharing) Amendment Act 2011, which comes into effect on 1 September.

“The Government decided that a fee of up to $25 fee was an appropriate compromise between what rights holders and the ISPs wanted.

Justice Minister Simon Power today welcomed the Law and Order Select Committee’s report on a bill which focuses on tightening juror privacy, safety, and security.

The Juries (Jury Service and Protection of Particulars of Jury List Information) Amendment Bill increases security for potential jurors by removing their addresses from jury panel lists and preventing the accused from ever having access to it.

It comes after a self-represented litigant corresponded with people whose names and addresses were on the jury panel list for his trial.

Justice Minister Simon Power leaves today for the triennial meeting of Commonwealth Law Ministers in Sydney.

The meeting is being hosted by Australian Attorney-General Robert McClelland and is expected to be attended by representatives of more than 50 Commonwealth countries.

“I’m looking forward to discussing a range of issues with my Commonwealth counterparts, including crime prevention, access to justice, and measures to enhance democracy,” Mr Power said.

A bill which makes offending against Police and Corrections officers an aggravating factor at sentencing has been welcomed back from select committee by Justice Minister Simon Power and Police and Corrections Minister Judith Collins.

Mr Power said the Sentencing (Aggravating Factors) Amendment Bill reflected the Government's wish to explicitly denounce in legislation attacks on Police and Corrections officers.

The Acting Minister for Courts, Simon Power, today welcomed the passing of legislation that strengthens the enforcement of fines, reparation, and civil debt.

The omnibus Courts and Criminal Matters Bill amends 20 statutes and is the most comprehensive reform of court-ordered monetary penalties in more than a decade.

“The bill will ensure that reparation owed to victims is paid as a priority and that offenders who refuse to pay it are held to account,” Mr Power said.

Significant measures in the bill include:

Commerce Minister Simon Power today announced increased funding for the Commerce Commission to regulate electricity and gas lines, and airports.

Under Part 4 of the Commerce Act, the commission regulates the price and quality of goods and services in markets which are considered monopolies, and regulated suppliers pay the commission a levy.

“The current levels of funding for the commission need updating because they were set before comprehensive changes to Part 4 in 2008,” Mr Power said.

The Government’s Drivers of Crime strategy has made significant progress in its first 18 months, Minister of Justice Simon Power and Minister of Māori Affairs Pita Sharples said today.

In December 2009 the Ministers announced that addressing the Drivers of Crime would be a whole-of-government priority to proactively address the underlying causes of crime.

The strategy focuses on four initial work streams, all of which have a particular emphasis on reducing Māori offending and victimisation.

David Rutherford has been appointed Chief Commissioner of the Human Rights Commission, Justice Minister Simon Power announced today.

Mr Rutherford replaces Rosslyn Noonan, who is completing her second five-year term.

“Mr Rutherford has proven leadership abilities and creative and practical approaches which will help advance the understanding of human rights in New Zealand,” Mr Power said.

“He is especially interested in youth, Māori, and disability rights – the latter through his extensive involvement in the Special Olympics.”

Inventors in New Zealand and Australia can look forward to a faster, cheaper and more streamlined trans-Tasman patent process, as announced today by New Zealand Commerce Minister Simon Power, and Australian Innovation Minister Senator Kim Carr.

The Ministers have agreed to an implementation plan that will deliver a single application process for both countries by early 2013, and a single patent examination by June 2014.

The Government today announced the appointment of Jane Huria as a member and Deputy Chair of the Electoral Commission.

Sir John Anderson will chair the Government's Financial Summit which will target unscrupulous credit companies, Consumer Affairs Minister Simon Power announced today.

The summit will bring together community groups, budgeting services, banks, and credit companies to look at ways of tackling the problem of irresponsible lending. It will be held in Auckland on August 11.

Mr Power said he was delighted Sir John Anderson had agreed to chair the summit.

The biggest overhaul of the legal aid system in a decade comes into force today.

Justice Minister Simon Power said the Legal Services Act 2011 is a major part of the Government’s response to Dame Margaret Bazley’s 2009 report, which identified system-wide failings and called for urgent action to rebuild trust and confidence in the system.

“The Act is designed to deliver high-quality legal services and access to justice to the most vulnerable people in society,” Mr Power said.

The Act’s key features include: