Have your say on a national framework to improve access to civil justice - Wayfinding for Civil Justice
The Chief Justice and Secretary for Justice invite you to share your views and experience and be part of the creation of a national strategic framework, to improve how we work together to improve access to civil justice in Aotearoa New Zealand.
A Working Group of people passionate about improving access to justice in Aotearoa New Zealand have been called on by the Chief Justice and Secretary for Justice to guide this work and have put together a draft framework to keep the conversation moving.
Wayfinding for Civil Justice offers a framework for this coordinated response, while maintaining the space for all stakeholders to pursue their mahi and initiatives in the way they believe best meets the needs of their communities. Each organisation, group, or individual can use Wayfinding for Civil Justice to select goals that are most relevant to them and work towards them in the way they consider most effective; with the knowledge that others in the sector are doing the same.
“Through setting a shared direction, efforts can be minimised that might otherwise go into identifying problems and researching where effort needs to be expended. Work to improve access to civil justice can instead be more of a coordinated response, directed at the goals and actions set by the sector.”
- Dr Bridgette Toy-Cronin, Chair of the Working Group
Wayfinding for Civil Justice is not a government strategy. This mahi has the support of the government in the form of seed funding, communication support, and enthusiasm, but this is a stakeholder strategy being led by a representative working group.
The Working Group seeks the opinions of those who work in organisations and in roles where they see the need to improve access to justice. What goals do you think Aotearoa New Zealand needs to focus on? What principles should guide reaching those goals? How can we better work together to achieve common aims?
This audience includes, but is not limited to:
- institutions and organisations that work in the area of civil justice (including the judiciary, legal professional organisations, government departments, and academics);
- community groups and people supporting those who see or experience barriers to accessing justice (including, but not limited to, NGOs, Māori communities, Pacific communities, Asian communities, rural communities, disability communities);
- providers of advice, information, and advocacy, including lawyers and non-lawyer service providers (for example, advocates and McKenzie friends);
- individuals and organisations who are trying to disrupt and/or innovate civil justice;
- funders of work to improve access to justice.
You can find out more about the project here.
You can provide your feedback using the online consultation portal here.(external link)
Or submit feedback via email at wayfinding@justice.govt.nz
The closing date for feedback and completed online surveys is 5pm, 30 June 2022.