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1. The basis for all law

   A constitution forms the basis for all law within a country and defines the principles on which the government, including the justice system, must operate. It sets up the most important institutions of government, states their principal powers and makes broad rules about how these powers can be used. New Zealand’s constitution In some countries the constitution is written down in one place; in New Zealand, it’s not. New Zealand's constitution is drawn from a number of important statutes (law...

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2. Courts modernise more as new legislation comes into effect

   Legislation to modernise New Zealand’s courts came into effect on 1 March 2017. The legislation updates many of the laws that underpin the court system, some of which were 100 years old. The new legislation provides a platform for further modernising the courts, for example by paving the way for greater use of electronic technology, says Sheridan Smith, General Manager, Service Development, Operations and Service Delivery. ‘The results will make the justice system more people-centr...

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3. Who makes & applies the law

   ...is made up of the Governor General, the Prime Minister, cabinet ministers and government departments. They are accountable to Parliament through the select committee process. The executive: develop policy draft bills publish laws, and administer all legislation. Developing policy is the process of working out an idea for a new law (bill) or turning a new law into action once it has received Royal Assent. Drafting a bill means writing down a proposal for a new law after the policy has been dev...

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4. Domestic human rights laws

   Several Acts govern human rights in New Zealand. We help make sure these laws are consistent, universally applied, and in line with international laws and treaties. We administer the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990, the Human Rights Act 1993, and the Privacy Act 1993, and review these Acts as required. We're also responsible for administering the Human Rights Commission and the Office of the Privacy Commissioner. However, both are independent bodies that play key roles in overseeing the Huma...

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5. Three strikes law

   The Government introduced legislation to Parliament in April 2024 to reinstate the Three Strikes sentencing law that was repealed in 2022, with modifications to make the regime more workable. The Bill received Royal assent from the Governor-General on 17 December 2024 and the provisions relating to the Three Strikes regime come into force on 17 June 2025.  The Sentencing (Reinstating Three Strikes) Amendment Bill as introduced would: cover the same 40 serious violent and sexual offences as...

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6. Gang laws come into effect

   The Government has passed two new laws that aim to reduce the harm caused by gangs, with both new laws taking effect from 21 November 2024.The first new law is the Sentencing Amendment Act 2024, which makes it easier for judges to consider gang membership as an aggravating factor at sentencing.The second new law is the Gangs Act 2024 which: bans the display of gang patches and insignia in public places gives Police the power to stop gang members from gathering in public by issuing dispersal not...

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7. Adoption Law Reform

   Aotearoa New Zealand's main adoption law, the Adoption Act 1955, no longer meets the needs of our society or reflects modern adoption best practice. The aim of the reform is to create a new system that protects the rights, best interests and welfare of children, upholds our Tiriti o Waitangi obligations, and upholds our international human rights obligations. We want to put tamariki, our children, at the heart of our adoption laws. The Ministry of Justice sought the views of the public and those...

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8. Community law centres

   The Ministry of Justice contracts services from community law centres throughout New Zealand. Community legal services play a vital role in helping people avoid legal problems or resolve those problems early. The Ministry works with community law centres to ensure community legal services are accessible, of reasonable quality and provide value for money. National performance standards for community law centres In 2011, national performance standards were introduced for community law centres to e...

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9. Different streams of law

   Civil and criminal law There are two main streams of law: civil law and criminal law. Civil law Civil law covers disputes between individuals, companies and sometimes local or central government. It usually doesn't involve the Police. Civil disputes are often about money, but they cover a wide range of cases coming before the courts like: Disputes over business contracts, wills, tax, land or other property Cases where someone’s carelessness has caused someone else a loss Family matters such a...

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10. Hundreds helped by cyberbullying laws

    Hundreds of people have been helped by cyberbullying laws over the past 2 years. The Harmful Digital Communications Act 2015 includes a range of measures to prevent and reduce the impact of cyberbullying and other modern forms of harassment and intimidation. For example, it made it a criminal offence to send messages and post material online that deliberately causes a victim serious emotional distress. Since coming into force in July 2015, dozens of offenders have been held to account. There hav...

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