Search

Christchurch’s state-of-the-art Justice and Emergency Services Precinct was officially opened by Prime Minister Bill English this morning.

New training and education programmes for prosecutors, court staff and the judiciary to better understand the impacts of sexual violence on victims will help improve victims’ experiences of the court process, says Justice and Courts Minister Amy Adams.

The ability of agencies to verify the identity of high-risk offenders will be strengthened following the passage of the Enhancing Identity Verification and Border Processes Legislation Bill, says Justice Minister Amy Adams.

Homecare Medical has been awarded the contract to develop and operate the 24/7 national helpline for New Zealanders affected by sexual violence, say Justice Minister Amy Adams and Social Development Minister Anne Tolley.

“The Government is focused on developing a more sustainable and integrated national system to ensure victims of sexual violence get the support and services they need at the right time,” says Ms Adams.

An evaluation of the Integrated Safety Response (ISR) pilot has confirmed that families are safer and better protected as a result of the pilot, say Justice Minister Amy Adams and Social Development Minister Anne Tolley.

The final evaluation report released today by Superu found that the level of seriousness and the frequency of family violence incidents reduced significantly in the six months after people came into contact with the pilot.

Parliament has unanimously passed reforms to strengthen the existing Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Act 2009, says Justice Minister Amy Adams.

“Money laundering and the financing of terrorism is a global issue with serious consequences. It is blight on society that undermines the hard work of legitimate businesses by allowing criminals to fund their lifestyles and fuel re-investment into criminal activities,” says Ms Adams.

Short-term housing will be provided to perpetrators of family violence in the Waikato to help ensure victims are kept safe and can stay in their own homes, say Justice and Social Housing Minister Amy Adams and Social Development Minister Anne Tolley.

“The Government is putting $1.1 million into emergency housing for perpetrators at the Integrated Safety Response pilot sites in Waikato and Christchurch, because evidence shows it’s better to remove perpetrators than to uproot victims and children from the family home,” Ms Adams says.

More than 2200 people affected by family violence have been able to stay safe in their homes thanks to the success of the National Home Safety Service launched two years ago, Justice Minister Amy Adams says.

“The NHSS makes victims’ homes safer from attack with practical measures such as installing tougher locks, security lights and monitored alarms. In the last two years it has made a measurable difference to the lives and security of hundreds of victims of serious family violence,” says Ms Adams.

A Bill to bolster New Zealand’s existing anti-money laundering laws has passed its second reading in Parliament tonight with unanimous support, says Justice Minister Amy Adams.

“The Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Amendment Bill will help protect New Zealand businesses and make it harder for criminals to profit from and fund illegal activities,” says Ms Adams.

A Bill to make trust law easier to access and understand has been introduced to Parliament today by Justice Minister Amy Adams.

The Trusts Bill will update and replace the Trustee Act 1956, making it the first significant change in New Zealand’s trust law in over 60 years.

“Trusts are an essential part of our legal system, with around 300,000 to 500,000 trusts operating in New Zealand today. For an area of law that is so well used, the Trustee Act 1956 is out of date and in need of a refresh,” says Ms Adams.

Cantabrians will soon have access to some of the most modern and efficient justice and emergency services in the country with Christchurch’s Justice and Emergency Services Precinct nearing completion.

Justice and Courts Minister Amy Adams today attended the blessing of the Precinct alongside Ngāi Tahu, tenant agencies and Precinct staff.

“The new Precinct will bring justice and emergency services together under one roof in the heart of the city,” says Ms Adams.

Over 16,500 remand court appearances were held via audio visual links (AVL) connecting courts and prisons in the year to May 2017, says Justice and Courts Minister Amy Adams.

This is up from around 13,000 remand court appearances held via AVL the year before, an increase of about 27 per cent.

Ms Adams says each appearance represents a prisoner who has not been escorted to court, placed in a holding cell, and then returned to prison.

Christchurch’s Integrated Safety Response (ISR) pilot has helped almost 21,000 victims and perpetrators of family violence since it was set up, say Justice Minister Amy Adams and Social Development Minister Anne Tolley.

“Today marks one year since the ISR pilot was established in Christchurch and already it is showing signs of being a significant game changer in the way that agencies and NGOs respond to family violence,” says Ms Adams.

I move, that the Criminal Records (Expungement of Convictions for Historical Homosexual Offences) Bill be now read a first time, I nominate the Justice and Electoral Committee to consider the bill.

I also move that Government notice of motion No 1, that this House apologise to those homosexual New Zealanders who were convicted for consensual adult activity, and recognise the tremendous hurt and suffering those men and their families have gone through, and the continued effects the convictions have had on them, be agreed to.

A Bill introducing a scheme to wipe convictions for historical homosexual offences passed its first reading in Parliament today with unanimous support, says Justice Minister Amy Adams.

The passing of the first reading of the Criminal Records (Expungement of Convictions for Historical Homosexual Offences) Bill followed a formal apology by Parliament to the men who were convicted for homosexual offences.

Christchurch’s Justice and Emergency Services Precinct has reached a key milestone with the commencement of the fit-out of the Justice Building, says Justice and Courts Minister Amy Adams.

“This is a major step forward for Cantabrians. The Precinct demonstrates the Government’s commitment to providing Christchurch with modern and effective justice and emergency services,” says Ms Adams.

A Bill seeking to strengthen how agencies verify the identity of offenders has passed its second reading in Parliament with overwhelming support, says Justice Minister Amy Adams.

The Enhancing Identity Verification and Border Processes Legislation Bill will improve public safety by enabling agencies to work together to identify offenders and ensure they meet the conditions of their sentence.

Chief Victims Advisor to Government Dr Kim McGregor, QSO, will have her role extended until November 2018, Justice Minister Amy Adams announced today.

“During her tenure, Dr McGregor has provided important research and advice from the perspectives of victims that have been invaluable to me as Justice Minister and to senior officials across the justice sector,” says Ms Adams.

A Bill to allow historical convictions for homosexual offences to be removed will help put right a wrong from the past, says Justice Minister Amy Adams.

The Criminal Records (Expungement of Convictions for Historical Homosexual Offences) Bill was introduced to Parliament today.

“The tremendous hurt and stigma suffered by those who were affected can never be fully undone, but I hope that this Bill will go some way toward addressing that,” says Ms Adams.

Justice and Courts Minister Amy Adams has today tabled the Law Commission’s report on proposals to modernise New Zealand’s contempt of court laws.

“Contempt law is intended to protect the integrity of the justice system and maintain public confidence in the administration of justice,” says Ms Adams.

Police Minister Paula Bennett and Justice Minister Amy Adams say using digital devices to take onsite statements from victims of family violence will reduce the stress on victims, save Police time and create richer evidence for the courts.

The Alcohol and Other Drug Treatment (AODT) Court pilot has been extended for a further three years, Justice and Courts Minister Amy Adams announced today.

The AODT Court pilot, which began in November 2012 in the Waitakere and Auckland District Courts, aims to help reduce alcohol and drug use, reoffending and imprisonment. It identifies offenders whose alcohol and other drug dependency is behind a pattern of serious offending and diverts them from prison into treatment under the close supervision of the Court.

Drink driving charges have halved since 2009, says Justice Minister Amy Adams.

Latest drink driving offence figures show the number of people charged in 2016 was 16,304 compared to 31,933 in 2009.

“Almost 16,000 fewer people were charged with drink driving offences in 2016 compared to 2009. That’s a 49 per cent decrease in seven years, reflecting a better understanding by New Zealanders of the dangers of drink driving,” says Ms Adams.

New guides to support the family violence sector to provide consistent and effective help to victims and perpetrators are being launched today by Justice Minister Amy Adams and Social Development Minister Anne Tolley at the Family Violence Summit in Wellington.

Over 120 key players in the family violence sector are attending the Summit today to build on conversations to date about how to work together better to tackle New Zealand’s horrific rate of family violence.