The Government’s Safe and Effective Justice Programme Advisory Group ¬Te Uepū Hāpai i te Ora will visit Wellington on Monday 18 February as part of its nationwide consultation to gather information on the criminal justice system.

The public meeting aims 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 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 Hon Chester Borrows, who is the Chair, and nine others who have experience working in or alongside the justice system.

Other members of the Advisory Group are Dr Jarrod Gilbert, Quentin Hix, Dr Carwyn Jones, Professor Tracey McIntosh, Ruth Money, Shila Nair, Professor Tony Ward, Julia Whaipooti, 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, and we’re excited about engaging independently in the Capital with those with lived-experience and key stakeholders 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,” says Chester Borrows.
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