New Zealand Law Commission

New Zealand's Law Commission (Māori: Te Aka Matua o te Ture) was established in 1986 by the Law Commission Act 1985.^[3][4] The commission is an independent Crown entity as defined in the Crown Entities Act 2004.^[5]

Law Commission

Te Aka Matua o te Ture
Agency overview
Formed	1 February 1986
Headquarters	Wellington, New Zealand
Motto	Kia whanake ngā ture o Aotearoa mā te arotake motuhake | Better law for Aotearoa New Zealand through independent review
Employees	20.45 FTE (2020)[1]
Annual budget	4.047m NZ$ (2020)[2]
Minister responsible	Paul Goldsmith, Minister of Justice
Agency executive	Amokura Kawharu, President
Key document	Te Tauākī Whakamaunga Atu Statement of Intent 1 July 2020 – 30 June 2024
Website	lawcom.govt.nz

The main objective of the Law Commission, as declared in its founding legislation, is to monitor and critically analyse the laws of New Zealand with a view to identifying—and proposing solutions to—their possible shortcomings.^[6] The Law Commission reviews, reforms and develops New Zealand law. It then makes recommendations to Government to improve the law. It also advises its Responsible Minister and government agencies on how to make the law more accessible and easier to understand.

The commission has a commitment to consult the public on areas of law that it reviews. It promotes discussion and consultation by publishing Issues Papers. It invites submissions from the public before it makes recommendations to the Responsible Minister. It publishes these recommendations in a report to Parliament. The Minister tables the report and the government then decides whether and how it will amend the law.

The commission is part of the Commonwealth Association of Law Reform Agencies.

In 2001, the commission published a notable report on the influence tikanga Māori on Pākehā law conventions.^[7]

Current commissioners

As of November 2023, the Law Commission comprises three commissioners:^[8]

• Amokura Kawharu (President)^[9]
• Claudia Geiringer
• Geof Shirtcliffe

Projects

The commission's projects have included:

• Māori customs and values in New Zealand law^[7]
• Review of Abortion Law Reform^[10][11]
• The Use of DNA in Criminal Investigations^[12][13]
• Review of the Property (Relationships) Act 1976^[14][15]
• Declaratory Judgments^[16]
• Second Review of the Evidence Act 2006^[17]

See also

• Public sector organisations in New Zealand
• Grant Hammond – President of the commission 2010–2016
• Geoffrey Palmer (politician) – President of the commission 2005–2010
• Amokura Kawharu – President of the commission from 2020

References

1. Te Aka Matua o te Ture – Law Commission (2020). Briefing for the Incoming Minister November 2020 (PDF) (Report). Law Commission.
2. Te Aka Matua o te Ture – Law Commission (2020). Annual Report of Te Aka Matua o te Ture – Law Commission 2019/20 (PDF) (Report). Law Commission.
3. Establishment. Law Commission Act 1985—Section 4. "For the purpose of this Act, there is hereby established a commission to be called the Law Commission."
4. Short Title and commencement. Law Commission Act 1985—Section 1. "This Act shall come into force on 1 February 1986."
5. Crown Entities Act 2004 p91
6. "Functions". Law Commission Act 1985—Section 5. "The principal functions of the Commission are (...) to take and keep under review in a systematic way the law of New Zealand (...) to make recommendations for the reform and development of the law of New Zealand (...) to advise on the review of any aspect of the law of New Zealand conducted by any government department or organisation (...)."
7. Baragwanath, David; Lee, Margaret; Dugdale, DF; Brewer, Timothy; Heath, Paul (March 2001). Māori customs and values in New Zealand law – Study Paper 9 – NZLC SP9 (PDF). Wellington, New Zealand: New Zealand Law Commission / Te Aka Matua o te Ture. ISBN 1-877187-64-X. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
8. "Our people | Law Commission". lawcom.govt.nz. Retrieved 1 September 2020.
9. "Associate Professor Amokura Kawharu Appointed Law Commission President" (Press release). New Zealand Government. 12 February 2020. Retrieved 5 March 2020 – via Scoop.
10. "Abortion Law Reform | Law Commission". lawcom.govt.nz. Retrieved 2 May 2018.
11. "Abortion Law Reform". lawcom.govt.nz/abortion. Retrieved 2 May 2018.
12. "The Use of DNA in Criminal Investigations | Law Commission". lawcom.govt.nz. Retrieved 28 January 2018.
13. "DNA and crime – Have your say on DNA". dnareview.lawcom.govt.nz. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
14. "Review of the Property (Relationships) Act 1976 | Law Commission". lawcom.govt.nz. Retrieved 28 January 2018.
15. "Reviewing the Property (Relationships) Act". Reviewing the Property (Relationships) Act. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
16. "Declaratory Judgments | Law Commission". lawcom.govt.nz. Retrieved 28 January 2018.
17. "Second Review of the Evidence Act 2006 | Law Commission". lawcom.govt.nz. Retrieved 28 January 2018.

External links

• Law Commission's official website
• Law Commission Act 1985