Criminal Justice Advisory Group to visit the East Coast

29 November 2018

The Government’s Safe and Effective Justice Programme Advisory Group – Te Uepū Hāpai i te Ora – will visit the East Coast next Monday and Tuesday as part of its nationwide consultation to gather information on the criminal justice system.

This is the 13th of 14 visits being held across New Zealand before Christmas to hear from people who have experienced the criminal justice system, as victims of crime or those who have committed crimes, and the groups who work in or with it every day.

The Advisory Group will hold public drop-in sessions in Gisborne and Ruatoria, where everyone is welcome to present their views on the criminal justice system.

The Gisborne session will be on Monday 3 December at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa, 630 Childers Rd, from 10am-12 noon.

The Ruatoria session will be on Tuesday 4 December at Ruatoria Learning Centre, 12 Hekiera Rd, Ruatoria, from 10am-12 noon.

The Group will also hold roundtable discussions in these centres with groups and others who work in and with the system.

[Note to Editors: To protect the confidentiality of submitters who would feel uncomfortable sharing their stories publicly, these sessions will NOT be open to the news media. The Advisory Group will hold a separate media briefing during the visit – see note below].

The Group has been appointed to support the Hāpaitia te Oranga Tangata Safe and Effective Justice Programme, which the Government has established to create a more effective criminal justice system, and a safer New Zealand.

The Group, which is independent of the Government, has been tasked with finding out what people want from the criminal justice system, and to canvas a range of ideas about how it can be improved.

It is made up of former Minister for Courts Chester Borrows, who is the Chair, and nine others who have experience working in or alongside the justice system.

Members who will attend the East Coast meetings are Julia Amua Whaipooti, Chester Borrows, Dr Carwyn Jones, and Quentin Hix.

Other members of the Group are Dr Jarrod Gilbert, Professor Tracey McIntosh, Ruth Money, Shila Nair, Professor Tony Ward, and Dr Warren Young.

Mr Borrows says the Group’s work is about informing the Government’s drive to keep all New Zealand communities safer by enhancing the criminal justice system.

“This is a chance to make a big difference to our criminal justice system, and we’re all looking forward to hearing what New Zealanders want and expect from it.

“We’ve had a great response and lots of ideas presented to us in meetings we’ve held in other centres.

“So far we have listened to about 1,300 people around the country, including many speaking as individuals and others representing hundreds of organisations, and we’re excited about engaging independently on the East Coast with key stakeholders and those with lived-experience to form strategic recommendations for the Government.

“We want to hear from as many people as possible and, though we won’t be able to meet with them all, we encourage anyone who wants to have their say to submit their ideas to us on the Safe and Effective Justice website.

“We will consider all feedback, in whatever form, to help inform our findings to the Minister.”

Te Uepū member Julia Amua Whaipooti (Ngāti Porou) says: “We know Te Tairāwhiti is one of the regions most affected by the criminal justice system. That makes it even more crucial that people from the rohe have their say on how we can improve the criminal justice system, and share their ideas on what will work for them and their whānau.”

The Group is planning to make further visits across the country early next year.

Public Submissions

Members of the public are also encouraged to submit their experiences and ideas to the Group at: https://www.safeandeffectivejustice.govt.nz/

Or contact them directly at te_uepu@justice.govt.nz

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