Course set for safe and effective justice
The Government has announced its initial response to recent reports on the criminal justice system.
Justice Minister Andrew Little welcomed the reports delivered by Te Uepū Hāpai i te Ora (Turuki! Turuki!), the Chief Victims Advisor to Government (Te Tangi o te Manawanui: Recommendations for Reform) and the organisers of the Hui Māori for justice (Ināia Tonu Nei – Now is the Time).
He also signalled the Government’s intention to make Alcohol and Other Drug Treatment (AODT) Courts permanent, by extending their operation in Auckland and Waitākere by two years and announcing plans for an additional AODT Court in Waikato.
Turuki! Turuki! – which is a traditional call to the crew of a waka to work together and create forward motion with urgency – provides recommendations for a fundamental reshaping of Aotearoa New Zealand’s justice system to one which prevents harm, addresses its causes, and promotes healing and restoration among individuals and communities.
Te Tangi o te Manawanui: Recommendations for Reform, which means “the heart that says ‘no more’ in order to protect our taonga: future generations”, sets out Chief Victims Advisor to Government Dr Kim McGregor’s recommendations for how to improve the criminal justice system for victims.
Ināia Tonu Nei – Now is the Time captures the kōrero at a national Māori hui held in Rotorua in April 2019 to discuss Māori experiences with the justice system. Published in July 2019, the report calls for Māori to have a genuine leadership role in creating a future justice system for Aotearoa New Zealand.
Further work on a long-term Government response will be detailed in 2020.
Read Justice Minister Andrew Little’s media release(external link)
Read Turuki! Turuki!(external link)
Read Te Tangi o te Manawanui: Recommendations for Reform(external link)
Read Ināia Tonu Nei – Now is the Time(external link)