New administration for the Employment Court

Labour Minister Margaret Wilson and Courts Minister Rick Barker announced today the Government's decision to transfer administration of the Employment Court from the Labour Department to the Justice Ministry

"The transfer will provide a greater connection between the judges of the Employment Court and other specialist judiciary serviced by the Ministry of Justice,” Margaret Wilson said.

Rick Barker said the transfer is subject to a satisfactory information technology risk management report and funding approval in the 2004 Budget.

“Assuming this is approved, the transfer of administrative support will be effective from 1 October 2004.”

Ms Wilson said that since the Employment Relations Act 2000 was passed, the Labour Department had focused on supporting wider employment relations' information services and practical dispute resolution services, such as the Mediation Service, as this was where most employment relations' problems were now resolved.

“The Justice Ministry now administers most specialist courts and this move will ensure greater consistency in administrative support for all courts, " said Rick Barker.

Human resources, information technology and library and research and housing of the Employment Court have all been carefully considered and pose no problems to the transfer. Some streamlining will be required to ensure the IT systems are compatible.

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