Sutton Jim: Judicature Amendment Bill (No 3) — Third Reading 
Sutton Jim: Judicature Amendment Bill (No 3) — Third Reading 
[Volume:630;Page:2538] 
Hon JIM SUTTON (Minister of State) 
 on behalf of the 
 Minister for Courts 
: I move  
That the Judicature Amendment Bill (No 3) be now read a third time 
. This bill amends one of the most important pieces of legislation in this country. The Judicature Act 1908 is the cornerstone legislation for New Zealand’s senior judiciary and our higher courts especially the High Court and the Court of Appeal. Court rules made under the Act govern the practice and procedure of our courts of general jurisdiction. 
The bill makes a small number of amendments principally to assist the work of the Court of Appeal. The Court of Appeal is the workhorse of the New Zealand appellate system. Its jurisdiction includes hearing appeals from judgments and orders of the High Court criminal matters on indictment in the District Courts judgments of the Employment Court and appellate decisions of the High Court on appeals from the District Court. The Court of Appeal is facing heavy workload pressures. A growing number of appeals are waiting to be heard and without additional judges that trend is predicted to continue to lead to negative impacts on timeliness and a corresponding erosion of justice. The Government recognises this problem and is addressing it in this bill by increasing the number of judges who may be appointed to the Court of Appeal. This is the first increase since 1987—goodness knows what the Government in between was doing. Because of the timing of last year’s general election the passage of this bill has taken a little longer than usual and I thank the court for its forbearance. 
The bill also amends the way in which the court may deliver judgments. A more flexible process will be set out in amendments to the court rules as is the practice for the Supreme Court and the High Court. Clauses 6 and 7 correct minor omissions arising from the legislation establishing the Supreme Court. Given the scale and complexity of the drafting for that reform it is remarkable that only minor corrections are required. Clause 6 goes further than a mere correction. Section 65 of the Act re-enacted section 14 of the Court of Appeal Act 1882. As the reference to tribunals may originally have had a different meaning and as the section is no longer necessary it has now been decided to repeal this section in its entirety. 
An effective and accessible court system is a fundamental part of any democratic society. This Government believes that court processes must adapt to new technology and that legal procedures must continue to evolve in order to ensure that our courts are as efficient as they can be and deliver a higher-quality service to the public. I welcome the House’s agreement to the inclusion of a small amendment to enable the use of videoconferencing whereby an Associate Judge of the High Court may participate remotely in certain civil proceedings. The Government is committed to providing a modern effective and accessible court system in which the public has confidence by making small but important improvements. This legislation demonstrates that commitment.