Justice Minister Judith Collins says the fact that political parties cannot agree makes it impossible to make any changes to our MMP voting system.

“Opposition parties have said the Government is deliberately ignoring the recommendations of the Electoral Commission. This is simply not true – all parties have their own agendas and have selected which recommendations they will support, and which they won’t.

“All parties in Parliament are responsible to the public on the Electoral Commission’s review of MMP.

“I have consulted with all those parties, and there is absolutely no consensus, or even a majority, across Parliament.

“It is a simple fact that it is impossible to introduce and pass legislation if it does not have a majority in the House. To suggest otherwise, as Labour and the Greens have done, is misleading the public.

“Enduring change to electoral law should be based as much as possible, on consensus.

“So far, all parties have played a role in ensuring there is no consensus, and therefore there will be no changes to MMP,” Ms Collins says.

Good afternoon.
 
Thank you for the invitation to speak to you today. It’s great to be here.
 
The International Association of Women Judges is an association of great ability, accomplishment and potential.
 
It’s a great privilege to be a part of your conference for the Asia Pacific Region.

Building on what today’s keynote speakers have covered in terms of pornography and child exploitation I will talk specifically about the sexual abuse of children online and New Zealand’s commitment to combatting this abhorrent crime through our membership to the Global Alliance against Child Sexual Abuse Online.
 
It’s a sad fact that the majority of sexual abuse goes by unreported.
 
Last year alone, Child Youth and Family found 1355 children under the age of 17 were sexually abused in New Zealand.
 
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) estimates there are more than 4 million websites featuring victims who are children – some even including children younger than 2 years old.
 
While accurate statistics for this problem are hard to come by, one thing is certain – the digital age has drastically increased ways offenders access, disseminate and sell this criminal material.
 
The advancements of the 21st century mean people are living longer, healthier, more secure and productive lives.  Individuals and communities also have more opportunities than ever before to engage, communicate and share information.
 
With these benefits comes responsibility – responsibility to use modern technology appropriately. Unfortunately these benefits are all too frequently misused and abused. 
 
 

Justice Minister Judith Collins today introduced to Parliament a bill to shield the Public Trust from wearing the costs of having to step in to replace the trustees of failed finance companies.

Ms Collins says an out-dated ‘last resort’ rule in the Trustee Act (1956) means the trustees of failed finance companies can apply to the High Court to have the Public Trust replace them, without Public Trust’s agreement.

“We are changing the law because of the risk a potential precedent could be set by a case due to be heard in the High Court early next month,” Ms Collins says.

“It’s simply not acceptable for trustees who wish to retire or resign, to pass their responsibilities to the Public Trust, and the taxpayer, with huge and unrecoverable costs.”

take over the role of determining the replacement trustee for investment products regulated by the Bill.

An Act protecting the safety and privacy of jurors and streamlining the jury system takes effect today.

Justice Minister Judith Collins says the Juries (Jury Service and Protection of Particulars of Jury List Information) Amendment Act brings much needed changes to the jury system.

“Jury service is an important civic duty and those who are summoned deserve to feel safe,” Ms Collins says.
 
“The new Act puts jurors’ safety and privacy first by tightening access to jurors’ information and introducing provisions to make the jury process more efficient.”

The Government moved to restrict access to jurors’ personal details after convicted murderer George Baker wrote to a juror whose name he saw on a list while representing himself in a trial.

Jurors’ address information will be removed from the jury panel list and can only be viewed by eligible people – for example Police prosecutors, lawyers for the Crown, or lawyers appointed by the court to inspect the information on behalf of defendants who are representing themselves.

The Act also streamlines the jury system. Instead of requesting to be excused from jury duty each time they are summoned, people may now apply to be permanently excused from service due to disability or for health reasons. People aged over 65 who so request must also be permanently excused.

“Every year on average 22,000 people over 65 are excused from jury service,” Ms Collins says.
 
“The new Act helps address the stress and inconvenience the current process causes many people and allows for a more efficient, less troublesome process both for people seeking to be excused and for court staff.”

Modifications to the proposed Family Court reforms support the Government’s key priorities and will ensure the family justice system works well for those who need it, says Justice Minister Judith Collins.

“This Government has three priorities driving the reform of the Family Court - we are committed to creating a Court that protects vulnerable people, provides fast and efficient resolution of private disputes, and as a priority, puts the needs of children first.

“This is a solid basis for reforming the Court and our proposed policy direction is the right one.

“I have listened carefully to feedback on the reforms during the select committee process.

“I am very pleased Cabinet has agreed to incorporate some of the feedback and make changes to our proposals that better support the three priorities driving our reforms.

“This is exactly what the select committee process is for and I thank those who have been involved,” Ms Collins says.

Proposed changes are to:

• provide up to four hours of legal support for parents who meet the legal aid threshold prior to court
• provide up to three hours of preparatory counselling to help parents make the most of Family Dispute Resolution (FDR)
• enable a judge to refer parties back to FDR or the Parenting through Separation course if it is likely to help resolve the case, and
• enable lawyers to participate earlier in the court process, at the judge’s discretion, if it would increase the chances of a successful resolution.

“The Family Court has not worked as well as it should for some families for many years and that’s why we’re changing it.

“Our family justice system must protect vulnerable people, provide fast and efficient resolution of private disputes, and put the needs of children first,” Ms Collins says.

The proposed changes will be included in the departmental report on the Family Court Reform Bill for consideration by the Justice and Electoral Select Committee.

More information about the Family Court reforms is available from www.justice.govt.nz.

Justice Minister Judith Collins today announced the reappointment of five members of the Real Estate Agents Authority and the appointment of one new member.

Those reappointed to the Authority are:

• John Auld of New Plymouth
• Barrie Barnes of Auckland
• Denise Bovaird of Auckland
• Joan Harnett-Kindley of Wanaka
• David Russell of Wellington

The new appointee to the Authority is Aaron Bhatnagar of Auckland. 

Mr Bhatnagar runs his own management consultancy and is an experienced investment manager having managed an extensive property portfolio.  Mr Bhatnagar replaces Peter McDermott who will leave the Authority on 3 May 2013.

In announcing the appointment, Ms Collins acknowledged the work the Authority has done over the last three years in establishing itself as the regulatory body for the real estate industry.  She also acknowledged the contribution outgoing member Mr McDermott has made to that work.

The Authority was created by the Real Estate Agents Act 2008.  That Act significantly reformed the regulation of the real estate industry with a consumer protection focus which shifted regulatory responsibility away from the industry to independent bodies.