- Hon Nicole McKee
Court timeliness, access to justice, and improving the quality of existing regulation are the focus of a series of law changes introduced to Parliament today by Associate Minister of Justice Nicole McKee.
The three Bills in the Regulatory Systems (Justice) Amendment Bill package each improve a different part of the Justice system: the courts, occupational regulation, and tribunals, making amendments across 24 different Acts.
“These amendments form a comprehensive package that will make a meaningful difference and deliver on the Government’s commitments,” Mrs McKee says.
“The Regulatory Systems (Courts) Amendment Bill will improve participants’ experiences with the Justice system and help them to move on with their lives. For example, it will provide more flexibility during jury selection, such as allowing jury selection of large panels to occur off-site. This Bill is the first of a series of Bills that Minister Goldsmith intends to introduce to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the courts.”
“The Regulatory Systems (Tribunals) Amendment Bill will give Disputes Tribunal referees the discretion to order a respondent to repay the cost of the filing fee back to a wholly or partly successful applicant.
“This change will improve access to justice by making the system fairer for successful applicants, particularly in relation to non-monetary claims,” Mrs McKee says.
The Bills will also relieve regulatory burdens on businesses.
“For example, the Regulatory Systems (Occupational Regulation) Amendment Bill will ease the strict timing requirements around licence renewal for real estate licensees. The Real Estate Authority will be able to renew a licence for up to 12 months after it expires, rather than requiring a full new licence application. This will allow flexibility for those who miss their renewal because of unforeseen circumstances, such as the severe weather events in the North Island in early 2023,” Mrs McKee says.
“New Zealanders will benefit from these law changes. From making better use of jurors’ time to making it easier for businesses to comply with rules, they will improve the lives of many people.”
