Conveyancing Bill Discharge Failure

Friday 28 Mar 2003
Stephen Franks
Press Releases -- Crime & Justice

The Justice & Electoral Select Committee's recommendation, that Justice Minister Phil Goff's Conveyancing Bill not proceed, sinks a reform that has been promised for nearly five years, ACT Justice Spokesman Stephen Franks said today.

"The Bill has languished in Committee since 1998, kept alive by repeated deferrals of the report back date against repeated assurances that a major law profession reform was just around the corner - the Committee has finally had enough of Mr Goff's non-performance on the reform package," Mr Franks said.

"The deregulation, if there is any shred of that left, will resurface when the non-appearing Bill finally emerges.

"A `don't proceed' recommendation in these circumstances is highly unusual. Governments usually try to have their replacement proposals heard by the Committee so that both the earlier bill and the later bill can be considered and reported upon together.

"Impatience with Mr Goff's non-performance is growing over many issues:

· His youth justice strategy report was more than six months late.

· The Crime Victimisation Survey will be exactly one year late tomorrow.

· It is now three years since the legal aid eligibility review was promised.

"Where is the Justice Ministry review of the process for dealing with applications for the Royal Prerogative of Mercy, due at the end of 2002?

"The Government's credit card promises on crime in two elections have been broken. Eventually, this will not be excused any longer. Even the Prime Minister, grateful for Mr Goff's effectiveness in obscuring her foreign policy shambles, will have to recognise his disastrous performance on crime and justice issues," Mr Franks said.

ENDS

For more information visit ACT online at http://www.act.org.nz or contact the ACT Parliamentary Office at act@parliament.govt.nz.

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