Cosgrove Clayton: Justices of the Peace Amendment Bill — First Reading 
Cosgrove Clayton: Justices of the Peace Amendment Bill — First Reading 
[Volume:632;Page:3970] 
Hon CLAYTON COSGROVE (Associate Minister of Justice) 
: 
 I move  
That the Justices of the Peace Amendment Bill be now read a first time. 
 It is my intention to move that the bill be referred to the Law and Order Committee. 
Justices of the peace play a valuable and vital role in communities throughout New Zealand. The office of justice of the peace is an institution built on volunteering. Justices of the peace share a proud history of community service in this country. The first-ever New Zealand justice of the peace was appointed in 1814 and there are currently approximately 10700 JPs one for about every 400 New Zealanders. 
A positive trend is the changing face of JPs which better reflects the increasingly diverse ethnic make-up of our society. Increasingly members of Parliament nominate to the office of justice of the peace people who add diverse language and cultural skills to their commitment to serve their communities. Equal numbers of men and women were appointed as JPs last year. The strength of those trends suggests that the spirit of community service is alive and well in New Zealand. 
In order to maintain public confidence in the role of JPs in a system preserving the good name of the office the Justices of the Peace Amendment Bill proposes three areas of reform in training discipline and retirement. The bill proposes a modern framework for a long-established community institution and is divided into two parts. The first part relates to the training of newly appointed JPs and the authorisation to use the designation “JP (retired)” and the second part provides an appropriate and clear disciplinary process for justices of the peace. 
In March this year I launched the CD-ROM training programme to assist and support new JPs in their role. While there is an expectation that JPs will undertake training of their own accord there has never been any formal obligation for JPs to undertake such training. The bill makes training a statutory requirement for all new JPs prior to taking their oath of office. Of course the CD-ROM programme is a valuable resource for the training of new justices. The bill will not affect the judicial studies course currently undertaken by the approximately 400 JPs who carry out judicial functions. 
The bill proposes to recognise the work of retired JPs who have served the community for at least 10 years by establishing the statutory title of “JP (retired)”. There is no provision in the existing Act to retain the use of the post-nominal letters JP once a person no longer undertakes active justice of the peace duties. The use of that title will recognise the commitment and contribution of the person in performing an ongoing and important community service. It gives me great pleasure to introduce that measure—one long-sought by the Royal Federation of New Zealand Justices Associations. 
It is important that justices of the peace are respected so as to maintain the credibility of their office. I consider that part of maintaining public confidence in JPs is to ensure they have a fair effective and transparent disciplinary system. The Justices of the Peace Act is over 50 years old and allows only in the most serious of cases for a JP to be removed from office. Part 2 enhances the disciplinary regime by specifying the grounds for removal or suspension of a JP and importantly the process to be followed to secure a removal or suspension. The grounds for such action may include misconduct a conviction for an offence punishable by imprisonment or the state of being adjudged bankrupt. 
The bill introduces a second-tier disciplinary system to address behaviour that requires remedial action but that does not warrant removal from office. Such action may include an official written rebuke or a written notice to require a JP to attend further training or receive counselling. I consider that specifying the disciplinary regime in the legislation provides a consistent and transparent basis for decision making. It also indicates the high standard of behaviour that is expected of JPs as respected members of the community. 
The justice of the peace system is an institution built as I said before on volunteering. Justices of the peace are justifiably proud of their history of service to the community and the Government commends the work and commitment of JPs throughout New Zealand. The Royal Federation of New Zealand Justices Associations in particular has waited patiently for the progress of the bill through the House. I am grateful to the federation and especially to its current president Gavin Kerr for working with my officials and liaising with its members on the form of the bill. This Government has delivered what the federation has asked for. I have developed a very positive working relationship with Mr Kerr the president and I am impressed by both his and his federation’s dedication and professionalism. I also pay tribute to Martin Gallagher MP JP and chair of the Law and Order Committee who has also worked on the bill and who has a proud history of community service as a justice of the peace. 
The bill will support JPs by modernising their legal framework to reflect their current role more appropriately. I believe that as with any legislation the law should be clear and effective for those who exercise powers and authority under it. The bill achieves clarity and effectiveness for justices of the peace and as a result New Zealanders may continue to have confidence in the office of justice of the peace. 
Before I conclude I want to note an example of the huge contribution that justices make. When as an Associate Minister of Justice I had the privilege some time ago of launching the CD-ROM training programme the opportunity was also taken—sadly—for the community to honour the man who was then New Zealand’s oldest and longest-serving justice of the peace. He was at 101 years old the late Mick Goldsbro’ from Hamilton. Mick Goldsbro’ was born in 1904 and appointed a JP on 28 August 1940. He actively served until the late 1960s having been then warranted as a JP for 65 years. When I became Minister I wanted to seek out the person who was our longest-serving and oldest JP and having had that privilege before he passed away which was soon after we honoured him I can say that Mick Goldsbro’ exemplified my view of the professionalism and the commitment that justices of the peace provide to our community. 
Those justices are volunteers. They do the job because they want to commit to our community. They want to offer something back and in the case of Mick Goldsbro’ a lifetime of service was offered back to this country. They often become embarrassed as volunteers do of course when one shines a light upon them and says what a fantastic job they have done because the nature of volunteering is that people do it for the pure motive of giving back to their community. They ask for nothing they ask for no thanks; they simply want to contribute and contribute in a serious way particularly in their role as justices of the peace. 
This bill has been long sought by the Royal Federation of New Zealand Justices Associations. It is a privilege that I can bring the bill to Parliament. I pay tribute to the previous Minister Rick Barker who also did a lot of work to bring the bill to this point. It has been a marathon effort in some respects but I know that the federation—and it has said so publicly—is pleased that the bill will be introduced and put through its stages. 
I have to say to all MPs that I think this is probably one point in time—I live in hope of course—that politics will not get in the way because this is a pretty non-controversial bill. I think that both sides of the House—considering that all MPs nominate JPs—believe in the service that JPs provide and I hope that the bill can pass swiftly through the select committee process be brought back to the House and be passed. I hope that as a Parliament after more than 50 years we can pay tribute to our justices of the peace by passing the legislation in the fashion that they would expect. I commend the bill to the House.