Gordon Campbell | Parliament TV | Parliament Today | Video | Questions Of the Day | Search

 


Crackdown to begin for overdue court fines and reparation

Thursday, 7 July 2011, 4:18 pm
Press Release: New Zealand Government

Hon Simon Power
Acting Minister for Courts


7 July 2011 Media Statement

Crackdown to begin for overdue court fines and reparation

The Acting Minister for Courts, Simon Power, today welcomed the passing of legislation that strengthens the enforcement of fines, reparation, and civil debt.

The omnibus Courts and Criminal Matters Bill amends 20 statutes and is the most comprehensive reform of court-ordered monetary penalties in more than a decade.

“The bill will ensure that reparation owed to victims is paid as a priority and that offenders who refuse to pay it are held to account,” Mr Power said.

Significant measures in the bill include:

• Enabling the Ministry of Justice to pass details on overdue fines and reparations to the credit industry, which may affect a person’s ability to secure future loans. In return, the Ministry will be able to use the credit industry’s updated address and other information for fines enforcement.
• Giving courts priority over secured creditors to collect overdue fines and reparation when seized goods are sold.
• Enabling the suspension of driver licences for overdue traffic fines and reparation.
• Enabling courts, in certain circumstances, to re-sentence a person who has not complied with a sentence or order of reparation, drawing on the full range of alternative sentences available for the original offence, such as home detention or prison.
• Clarifying that the payment of reparation has priority over the payment of fines.
• Making it easier to set up an attachment order to deduct outstanding civil debts from a person’s salary, wage, or benefit.

Mr Power said that at the end of June there was $666.5 million of court-ordered fines and reparation outstanding.

“Although this is $112 million less than when the bill was introduced nearly 15 months ago, it’s clear that the bill is needed to ensure fines remain a credible penalty for breaking the law.

“I’m confident the new enforcement tools in this bill will compel those who choose to ignore their fines and reparation to pay up.

“The bill also modernises the collection of fines and reparation and will improve civil debt enforcement processes.”

He acknowledged the work done by Courts Minister Georgina te Heuheu in ushering the bill through to its final reading.

ENDS

 
 
 
 
 
Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Regional Headlines

NEW ZEALAND POLITICS > >


 

Labour refers Liu case to Auditor-General

Labour Leader David Shearer has sent a letter to the Auditor-General asking her to investigate the decision-making process around the case involving Chinese businessman Bill Liu. More>>

Also:


Waikato-Tainui Celebrates End of Lock-Out

Tom Roa, Chair of Te Arataura, Waikato Tainui’s executive has welcomed news that the ten week lock-out of Horotiu workers is drawing to a dramatic close.
“We are all extremely pleased to see this day finally arrive,” said Tom Roa. More>>

Also:

Meridian dumps West Coast hydro plan

(Image: blog.greens.org.nz by Q)

May 22 (BusinessDesk) - Opposition to Meridian Energy's plans for a 100 Megawatt hydro-electric scheme on the undammed Mokihinui River on the South Island's West Coast has forced its abandonment, the state-owned power company has announced. More >>

Fisheries: Slave Labour And Foreign Vessels
The Government has announced it is to require reflagging of foreign-owned fishing vessels operating in New Zealand waters to address labour, safety and fisheries practice concerns. More >>

Also


Budget 2012: Crime And Punishment
Budget 2012 will contribute to a 25 per cent reduction in reoffending by 2017, and 18,500 fewer victims of crime every year from 2017, Corrections Minister Anne Tolley and Associate Corrections Minister Dr Pita Sharples say. More >>

Also:


Elections: Time Running Out to Take Part in Electoral Commission’s MMP Review

Time is running out to have your say on improvements you’d like to see made to our MMP voting system. With only two weeks to go until the first consultation period of the MMP Review closes, the Electoral Commission has received more than 3700 submissions ... More >>


Christchurch: More Green Zoning And More Red Zoning

Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee has announced the final decision in almost 11 months of flat land residential zoning in Canterbury…

“It brings the number of residential properties zoned red because they are unsuitable for residential occupation to 7256.” More >>

Gerry Brownlee also announced the green zoning of 421 residential properties in the Port Hills, leaving 1679 houses still under review. More>>

ALSO:


Budget 2012: Squeezing Every Drop Out Of A Zero Budget
The Government is trying to squeeze every drop of publicity out of its ``Zero Budget’’ ahead of its delivery next Thursday.More >>

Gordon Campbell On the Politics of Austerity: Later this month, New Zealand will be subjected to its second austerity Budget in a row. Zero budgeting is being presented as the only path of virtue. This is despite the fact that - elsewhere in the real world - it has been a very bad week indeed for the politics of austerity.More >>
Also

  • Business.Desk - Smokes, booze and property tax breaks prime targets for Budget
  • Labour - User Pays Plan Confirms Failure
  • Labour - Cuts to classes result of government failure
  • ACT - Performance Based Pay for Teachers Long Overdue

  • Budget 2012: Recovery of Canterbury on Track
  • Budget 2012 - Prescription Charges Help Fund Health
  • Budget 2012: Education – Larger Classes For More Money
  • Budget 2012: $144m more for disability support

    • Housing: Social Housing Money Handed Out
    People in need will get the most benefit from Government funding for new housing projects, to be developed by non-government providers. Housing Minister Phil Heatley has announced the successful applicants to the $25.3 million Social Housing Unit ... More >>

    ALSO:

    Iti Jailed In Operation 8 Case
    October 15th Solidarity Group on Sentencing -The sentences of 2.5 years for Taame Iti and Rangi Kemara are manifestly unjust. This is an outrage. The sentences of Urs Signer and Emily Bailey are equally absurd. The judge sought to retry the entire case at sentencing today and himself decided their fate. It is an outrage.More>>

    Also:

    Earlier Trial Coverage:


    Parliament Today: Urgency Follows Budget
    The House moved into Urgency this afternoon after leaders gave their speeches in reply to the Budget Speech.More...

    Also:


    Budget 2012: Prescription Charges Help Fund Health
    Health Minister Tony Ryall has announced the Government will increase the $3 prescription charge to $5 per item up to a maximum of 20 items from 1 January 2013. The savings will be reinvested in the health sector. More >>
    Also:

    Court of Appeal: Govt Should Pay Family Caregivers
    The victory in the Court of Appeal for families caring for disabled family members should be taken notice of by the Government says Green MP Catherine DelahuntyMore >>

    ALSO:

    LATEST HEADLINES

    More RSS  RSS
     
    More RSS  RSS News AlertsNews Alerts
     
     
     
    Parliament
    Search Scoop  
     
     
    powered by newsagent
    NZ independent news