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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.

Ethnic Affairs Minister Judith Collins says Race Relations Day tomorrow is a time to recognise the contribution that  greater ethnic diversity makes to the social and economic fabric of New Zealand.

New Zealand is one of the most ethnically diverse countries in the OECD with over 200 ethnicities and over 100 languages now spoken on our shores. Census 2013 data reveals a particularly large increase in New Zealanders of Chinese, Indian and Filipino descent.

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.

ACC Minister Judith Collins has today announced a new school-based pilot project funded by the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) as part of its new focus on preventing sexual violence.

“Sexual violence has a significant effect on victims and families, resulting in substantial physical and mental health issues as well as social problems like poverty, addiction and suicide,” Ms Collins says.

Ethnic Affairs Minister Judith Collins says a partnership agreement signed by the Office of Ethnic Affairs (OEA) today will build more connections between new migrants and established businesses in New Zealand.

Under the new agreement, OEA, Export NZ and the Employers and Manufacturers Association will co-arrange and co-fund a major joint conference combining elements of Export New Zealand’s Go Global conference and OEA’s Ethnic People in Commerce (EPICNZ) conference.

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.”

ACC Minister Judith Collins has announced the appointment of three new Motorcycle Safety Advisory Council (MSAC) members and says this comes at a time when ACC is boosting its focus on injury prevention across the board.

The MSAC acts as a voice for motorcyclists by advising ACC how to invest funds collected through the Motorcycle Safety Levy paid by motorcyclists in the relicensing process.

“I’m pleased to announce the appointment of new Motorcycle Safety Advisory Council members Janice Millman, Andrew Darrell and David Golightly,” says Ms Collins.

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.

Ethnic Affairs Minister Judith Collins and Social Development Minister Paula Bennett have announced the transfer of migrant and refugee community development programme, Settling In, from the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) to the Office of Ethnic Affairs (OEA).

Settling In was established under MSD in 2004 to identify and address the social service needs of refugees and migrant communities, with the aim of supporting communities to develop their own solutions to settle with success.

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.

The Accident Compensation Corporation will significantly improve access to treatment for clients with hearing loss, ACC Minister Judith Collins announced today.

“We’re addressing cost barriers as well as improving competition in the market to ensure clients with hearing loss have better access to the help they are entitled to,” says Ms Collins.

The changes, which will take effect from 1 July 2014, include increasing choice for clients, allowing multiple repairs to each hearing aid and increasing ACC contributions to the cost of the device.

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:

Ethnic Affairs Minister Judith Collins will tonight host a Parliamentary celebration of Chinese New Year alongside one of New Zealand’s largest ethnic groups and says it’s a symbol of our enthusiasm and embrace of cultural diversity.

“People across Asia are welcoming in the Year of the Horse and it’s wonderful that here in New Zealand Kiwis from all walks of life are joining in the festivities,” says Ms Collins.

Attorney-General, Senator the Hon George Brandis QC, and Minister of Justice, the Hon Judith Collins MP, today announced that Australia and New Zealand employers are to have greater access to respective national criminal history checks for employment vetting purposes.

Justice Minister Judith Collins has welcomed the United Nations Human Rights Council’s (UNHRC) recommendations on how New Zealand can continue to promote and protect domestic human rights.

Ms Collins presented New Zealand’s second Universal Periodic Review (UPR) report on our human rights record in Geneva this week. All 193 UN member countries must report on their human rights performance every four and a half years.