The Coalition Government has made a significant $62 million investment from the COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund to start the reform of the Family Court and enable it to respond effectively to the increased backlog caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Today Justice Minister Andrew Little introduced the Family Court (Supporting Families in Court) Legislation Bill. The Bill forms part of the $62 million package designed to:
- Restore the right to legal representation at the start of a case in the Family Court;
- Allow parties to those proceedings, where eligible, to access legal aid;
- Establish Family Justice Liaison Officers and produce better information resources to help parents and whānau navigate the system;
- Increase remuneration for lawyers for children to incentivise the recruitment and retention of skilled practitioners.
It is expected that a second Bill focused on strengthening the Family Court will follow later this year, which will:
- Enhance children’s participation in proceedings that affect them;
- Ensure that children feel supported and informed as they move through the Family Court process;
- Expand lawyers’ duties in care of children proceedings.
“We are committed to taking action to ensure New Zealanders have a Family Court that is safe for participants, sensitive to their needs, and where every party has their voice heard fairly and appropriately,” Andrew Little said.
“Families and whānau who come before the Family Court are already at a particularly trying and stressful time in their lives, and Court can be a confusing and intimidating place for many who currently have to self-represent. We want families and whānau to be well-supported with early advice so issues can be fairly and expeditiously resolved,” Andrew Little said.
“The 2014 family justice reforms made by the previous ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ government simply haven’t worked. Instead we have seen a significant increase in the number of urgent ‘without notice’ applications made to the Family Court in order that parties can access the legal advice they need.
“³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾’s changes lengthened the backlog, but the need for reform is more important than ever with the Family Court under significant increased pressure due to COVID-19.
“Before the pandemic the Coalition Government appointed an Independent Panel to examine the effectiveness of those 2014 family justice reforms and recommend change.
“The Bill introduced today to reinstate lawyers in the early stage of on-notice care of children proceedings is one of the key recommendations made by the Independent Panel. The Bill will go a long way to helping resolve custody disputes and will significantly reduce the pressure on families and the Court.
“This Coalition Government is focused on tackling New Zealand’s long term challenges. That is why this significant package is only the beginning of overdue reform of the Family Court, with the next phase focussing on better protection of children’s rights,” Andrew Little said.
