Monday 5 November, 2018

Public Submissions on the 2014 Family Justice Reforms Close 9 November

There are just five days left to make submissions on the Family Justice Services Review says Panel Chair, Rosslyn Noonan.

The Panel has been tasked by the Minister of Justice to examine the impact of the family justice reforms which changed the support and advice available to separating parents needing to make arrangements about the care of their children.

People who want to make a submission to the Independent Panel looking at the reforms to the family justice system need to get their submission in by Friday 9 November.

“The submissions process ends this week,” says Panel Chair, Rosslyn Noonan. “We want to encourage as many people and organisations as possible to share their experiences and views of the Family Court and the out-of-court services such as Family Dispute Resolution.”

“If you have a view of the family justice system, and you have not yet summitted, please get your submissions in before the deadline of Friday 9 November,” she says. It is important that the Panel hears from parents, guardians and whānau that use or have used the family justice system. “It is only with their input that we can truly understand the impact of the 2014 reforms.” The Panel would value further input from Māori, Pasifika, minority groups and other people and whānau whose needs may not be being met by the current family justice system.

Information about the submissions process can be found here: https://www.justice.govt.nz/justice-sector-policy/key-initiatives/family-court-rewrite/

Ms Noonan says people can tell their stories to the Panel online, and can also answer a survey about how the process worked or didn’t work for them.

The submissions process has generated a strong response from the public since starting in September 2018 with 120 submissions made online so far, and over 180 groups and individuals attending the Panel’s consultation hui around the country.

The Panel will be reporting its findings to the Minister of Justice in May 2019.

ENDS

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