Dalziel Lianne: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Dalziel Lianne: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:659;Page:8461] 
11.  
Hon LIANNE DALZIEL (Labour—Christchurch East) 
 to the  
Minister of Justice 
: Does he have any evidence to support the hearsay reported by Dame Margaret Bazley in her final report on the legal aid review that “up to 80 percent of the lawyers practising in the Manukau District Court could be gaming the system”; if not will he apologise for any damage to their reputations this has caused? 
Hon SIMON POWER (Minister of Justice) 
: 
 No because Dame Margaret was clear in her report that although her findings were partially based on anecdotal evidence it was the prevalence of these claims right across the court system that led her to conclude that widespread reform is required. Since the release of the report a number of people have supplied my office with a range of allegations of improper practice across the court system. I will be writing back to those complainants to invite them to pass the information on to the Law Society which will take whatever action it deems to be appropriate. In response to the second part of the question that the member raises the answer is no. I am interested in the findings of the report and will not limit my attention to one line in a report of 120 pages. 
Hon Lianne Dalziel 
: Will the Minister meet with members of the Manukau legal profession who have had their reputations damaged as a result of the statement that up to 80 percent of them have been involved in “gaming the system”; and since when did the prevalence of unsubstantiated claims make an unsubstantiated claim more substantiated? 
Hon SIMON POWER 
: In respect of the question as to whether I will meet with the Manukau criminal Bar sure. I have met with different members of the Manukau criminal Bar three times this year. In addition when I visited the Manukau District Court I spoke with a number of lawyers about their work there. Since the release of Dame Margaret’s report I am advised that I have received no requests for meetings from the Manukau criminal Bar although I understand those lawyers met with the member and her colleague yesterday. I would be happy to meet with them. 
David Garrett 
: Has the Minister considered providing lawyers who work within the legal aid system with an indemnity of some kind so that the honest legal aid lawyers can provide information on crooked colleagues to the appropriate authorities without fear of litigation; if not why not? 
Hon SIMON POWER 
: No; because that was not part of the recommendations in Dame Margaret’s report it is not something that is immediately on my work programme in response to Dame Margaret’s report. 
Hon Lianne Dalziel 
: Did the report address the role of the Legal Services Agency risk management committee in overseeing the legal aid system; if not was it of concern to him that Dame Margaret Bazley was a member of that committee between 2005 and 2008? 
Hon SIMON POWER 
: I cannot remember off the top of my head whether it was referenced exactly but I have great faith in the independence of Dame Margaret—as the last Government did when putting her in charge of a number of inquiries. I will work my way through those recommendations with some degree of consistency and speed. I note that the member opposite has offered on behalf of the Labour Party to work with this Government so that the legal aid system and the justice system in New Zealand get the credibility integrity and value for taxpayers’ money that this country deserves.