On this page you’ll find documents that have been published under the Government’s policy requiring Ministers to proactively release Cabinet papers and related material.

The policy applies to papers lodged for consideration by Cabinet from 1 January 2019 onwards. Cabinet papers and minutes must be proactively published within 30 business days of final decisions being taken by Cabinet, unless there’s a good reason not to publish them (whether in part or in full), or to delay the release. The policy doesn’t apply to Cabinet papers concerning the appointment of individuals to statutory and other roles.

We publish the papers for the Ministers we support – the Minister of Justice, Minister for Courts, the Associate Ministers of Justice, and some papers relating to the Attorney-General.

For more information on the policy see:

CO (23) 4 - Proactive Release of Cabinet Material: Updated Requirements

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1. Proactive release – Government response to the Justice Committee report Inquiry into the 2017 General Election and 2016 Local Elections [PDF, 832 KB]

   This paper accompanied the government response to the Justice Select Committee’s Inquiry into the 2017 General Election and 2016 Local Elections.

2. Proactive Release - Cabinet Paper for arbitrating commercial lease disputes [PDF, 714 KB]

   This Cabinet paper outlines a package of measures to support commercial tenants and landlords to come to agreements to adjust the terms of their leases to enable more businesses to remain solvent through the COVID-19 epidemic.

3. Proactive Release - Minute of decision for arbitrating commercial leases disputes [PDF, 607 KB]

   This Cabinet minute outlines a package of measures to support commercial tenants and landlords to come to agreements to adjust the terms of their leases to enable more businesses to remain solvent through the COVID-19 epidemic.

4. Proactive release – The New Zealand Bill of Rights (Declarations of Inconsistency) Amendment Bill [PDF, 2 MB]

   These papers set out a proposal for how the Executive and the House of Representatives should respond when the Senior Courts declare an Act to be inconsistent with one or more of the rights and freedoms affirmed by the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990, and introduce the New Zealand Bill of Rights (Declarations of Inconsistency) Amendment Bill.

5. Proactive release - Privacy Bill: Approval for Supplementary Order Paper and draw down of Budget 2014 tagged contingency [PDF, 925 KB]

   This Cabinet paper approves a Supplementary Order Paper to refine some changes made to the Privacy Bill by the Justice and Electoral Committee. It also rephases and draws down a tagged contingency to implement the Bill.

6. 15 May 2020 Summary of Justice Budget Initiatives for Stakeholders [PDF, 260 KB]

   This summary provides information about the main initiatives in Budget 2020 across Votes: Justice, Courts and Treaty. Full information about these initiatives is available on the Beehive website.

7. Proactive Release – Expiring Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Act 2009 regulations: substantive and technical changes and new regulatory proposals [PDF, 954 KB]

   Advice and Cabinet decisions on Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Regulations. Two Regulations expire in 2020 and 2021, and Cabinet agreed to a number of substantive and technical changes to these Regulations, as well as issuing six new regulations to respond to emerging issues. 

8. Proactive release - Amendments to the Property Law Act 2007 relating to commercial leases and mortgages [PDF, 678 KB]

   A Cabinet paper seeking agreement to amend the Property Law Act 2007 to support businesses and commercial landlords to manage situations where,because of the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic, businesses are unable to pay their rent and landlords are unable to meet their mortgage payments.

9. Proactive release - Advice on commercial lease issues and the Property Law Act [PDF, 66 KB]

   A briefing that provides advice on work happening across government relating to commercial leases and mortgages, and provides advice on recommended changes to the Property Law Act 2007 to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.

10. Proactive release - Property Law Act 2007: Amendments Relating to Commercial Leases [PDF, 671 KB]

    A Cabinet committee minute of decisions relating to amendments to the Property Law Act 2007 regarding commercial leases and mortgages.

11. Proactive release - Cabinet Minute - Family and Sexual Violence Action Plan in response to COVID-19

    A Cabinet Minute regarding the action plan to respond to family and sexual violence in the context of COVID-19.

12. Proactive release - Cabinet paper - Action plan for family violence and sexual violence in response to COVID-19

    A Cabinet paper seeking agreement for the Joint Venture on Family Violence and Sexual Violence to undertake key actions to minimise the impact of any violence which could occur during the COVID-19 pandemic.

13. Proactive release - Briefing on Family and Sexual Violence COVID-19 response

    A briefing paper to provide an update on the Joint Venture's proposed approach to take a system-wide view of the impact and response to family and sexual violence in the context of COVID-19.

14. Proactive release - High Court (COVID-19 Preparedness) Amendment Rules 2020 Cabinet minute

    A Cabinet minute of decisions to amend the High Court Rules to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.

15. Proactive release - Proposals for justice-related modification orders under the Epidemic Preparedness Act 2006

    This Cabinet paper seeks approval to develop immediate modification orders under the Epidemic Preparedness Act 2006 to modify provisions in legislation affecting justice services, harm minimisation, and access to justice.

16. Proactive release - High Court (COVID-19 Preparedness) Amendment Rules 2020 Cabinet paper

    A Cabinet paper seeking permission to lodge amendments to the High Court Rules to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic with the Executive Council

17. Proactive release - High Court (COVID-19 Preparedness) Amendment rules Aide Memoire

    An aide memoire on amendments to the High Court Rules to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.

18. Proactive relese - High Court (COVID-19 Preparedness) Amendment Rules 2020 Briefing

    A briefing on amendents to the High Court Rules to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.

19. 2020 Cannabis Referendum Public Release 27 April 2021 [PDF, 5.9 MB]

    This package contains documents relating to the public release of the exposure draft Cannabis Legalisation and Control Bill on the referendum.govt.nz website on 27 April 2020. It includes the April 2020 Cabinet paper proposing public release of the interim exposure draft Cannabis Legalisation and Control Bill and the Summary of current policy positions; the corresponding Cabinet minute; the Summary of current policy positions as of April 2020 and the final version of the exposure draft Cannabis …

20. Proactive release - Cannabis Referendum Order 2020 and End of Life Choice Referendum Order 2020 [PDF, 1.5 MB]

    This paper seeks Cabinet’s agreement to authorise the submission to the Executive Council of the Cannabis Referendum Order 2020 and End of Life Choice Referendum Order 2020. These Orders declare the cannabis and End of Life Choice referendums to be referendums for the purposes of the Referendums Framework Act 2019. 

21. Proactive release - Prisoner Voting [PDF, 2 MB]

    Advice from the Ministry of Justice, Cabinet Paper and Cabinet minutes relating to prisoner voting.

22. Cabinet paper: Future of the Alcohol and Other Drug Treatment Court [PDF, 2 MB]

    This Cabinet paper reports back on the Alcohol and Other Drug Treatment (AODT) Court pilot and notes the continuation of the AODT Court.

23. Proactive Release – Amendments to the Criminal Cases Review Commission Bill [PDF, 1.5 MB]

    Advice and Cabinet decisions on the establishment of the Criminal Cases Review Commission.

24. Proactive release - Electoral Amendment Bill No2 [PDF, 1.9 MB]

    Documents related to the policy development of the ban on foreign donations to parties and candidates.

25. Proactive release - Setting the strategic direction for New Zealand's Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Regime [PDF, 1.4 MB]

    The AML/CFT regime affects the lives of all New Zealanders. A robust AML/CFT regime is vital to ensure the integrity of our financial system; attract business to New Zealand; protect our people and communities; and prevent criminals from using the proceeds of their crimes to harm communities. The AML/CFT regime provides a level playing field for businesses and supports a robust taxation system that enables government to provide critical services, including health and education. A National AML/CF…