Field Taito Phillip: Judicature Amendment Bill (No 3) — Third Reading 
Field Taito Phillip: Judicature Amendment Bill (No 3) — Third Reading 
[Volume:630;Page:2541] 
TAITO PHILLIP FIELD (Labour—Mangere) 
: 
 I must thank my colleagues and the junior whip for giving me the chance to speak. This is one of my first speeches this year but I am pleased to contribute to the debate on the the Judicature Amendment Bill (No 3) which is before the House. The previous speaker said that it has been quite a while since the legislation was amended but I say to him that during the intervening 19 years the National Party was in Government for a significant part of that time and there was no amendment at all from the National Government. It took a Labour Government in 1987 to improve this legislation and it is now up to another Labour Government to make amendments. So given the focus of his speech in relation to the lack of improvement over such a lengthy period of time I am quite proud of the fact that it has taken two Labour Governments in those 19 years to improve on this important legislation. 
As previous speakers have said the bill is designed to reduce the workload pressure facing the Court of Appeal and to increase access to the Supreme Court. I point out to the previous speaker that this Government was responsible for the establishment of the Supreme Court. This Judicature Amendment Bill (No 3) makes a significant move although with small amendments in terms of the extra number of judges who will be appointed. As previously mentioned there will be eight permanent judges and that will help give confidence to the judicial processes in relation to appeals to the Court of Appeal and to the Supreme Court. This bill also looks at improving the use of judges’ time as well as increasing access to the Supreme Court and improvements in the use of technology in relation to the available technology for court processes. 
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 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 and that gives credit to the drafting of the legislation that established our Supreme Court. 
The effectiveness of our court system is a fundamental part of our democracy and society and this Government believes that court processes must adapt to new technology as I said and legal processes 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. This Government is committed to providing a modern effective and accessible court system in which the public has confidence. Those changes in the legislation clearly demonstrate that commitment. 
I am in full support of what is being done here. I am pleased also that the previous speaker kept quoting Sir Geoffrey Palmer and I remind that speaker that Sir Geoffrey Palmer was a former Labour Prime Minister and very good at drafting legislation. His speech as the member said last night pointed to some of the things that we need to look at in the future. However I also give credit to the former member’s services as a Labour member of Parliament in this House and the fact that he is a former Prime Minister as well. 
I thank the Minister for bringing this bill to the House. I believe that it will significantly improve our judicial processes in the Supreme Court as well as the Court of Appeal.