Turei Metiria: Oral Questions — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeTurei Metiria: Oral Questions — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 30 October 2014. Volume:701;Page:423. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]5.METIRIA TUREI (Co-Leader—Green)to the Minister of Justice: Will she ask the Law Commission to resume its work on alternative pre-trial and trial processes in sexual violence cases in light of the decision by Police not to prosecute those involved in the Roast Busters case; if not why not?Hon SIMON BRIDGES (Associate Minister of Justice)on behalf of theMinister of Justice: This is an area that the Minister is interested in taking some further advice on and then looking into. We are committed to supporting victims of crime particularly victims of sexual violence and therefore how they interact with the justice system is an area that is constantly being reviewed. We do not want to make decisions based on any single particular case but the issues raised are of general interest and the Minister will be requesting further advice in this area.Metiria Turei: How can the Minister not support the immediate resumption of the Law Commission review given that there are seven formal complaints in the Roast Busters investigation and yet not one can pass the test in the Solicitor-General’s prosecution guideline of a reasonable prospect of conviction?Hon SIMON BRIDGES: As I have said the Government is not going to react to a particular case but these are important issues—there is no question of that. The Minister is certainly taking an open approach and seeking advice on these very important issues.Metiria Turei: Does she agree with the President of the Law Commission Sir Grant Hammond when he said: “the Law Commission has been told that participants in criminal trials both victims and defendants find the current adversarial process to be very alienating and disempowering”; if she does agree is this not further evidence to ask the Law Commission to immediately resume its work?Hon SIMON BRIDGES: As stated clearly they are matters the Minister is taking advice on. I think there is a fair set of issues that the member raises that do need to be looked into very carefully and closely. But I think in direct response to the member’s question about whether we in some way shape or form move to a different kind of system here—inquisitorial for example—clearly something would have to be thought through very carefully. There are as with any changes like this real pros and cons. It is not entirely clear for example whether it would improve victims’ experiences or whether it would result in a higher conviction rate. So I think as I say these are things that need to be thought through carefully and dare I say it judiciously.Metiria Turei: Does the Minister agree with the former Minister of Justice Simon Power when he said that it was worrying that only 10 percent or about 2000 sexual offences were reported each year; if she does agree is this not a good reason to ask the Law Commission to resume its work to improve the system so that victims are more comfortable with reporting cases?Hon SIMON BRIDGES: The low rates that the member talks about have been a concern for many years and I think rightfully so. That is why we have increased funding in terms of the support in these areas; that is why as I have said in a number of areas including a drafted Evidence Amendment Bill we are seeking to make things simpler and easier for victims and that is why also the Minister is seeking advice on the points raised in the primary question here.Metiria Turei: Why will the Minister not ask the Law Commission to immediately resume its work when victims lawyers judges and support services all agree that the current system does not work and even esteemed members of our judicial system such as Dame Silvia Cartwright who told the Law Commission: “If I had a daughter who was raped I would strongly advise her not to go near the criminal justice system.”?Hon SIMON BRIDGES: As I have already said these are very much matters that we are taking advice on. As I have also already said we need to consider these matters carefully because there are pros and cons in relation to any system changes. Let me also say though that I think the Commissioner of Police has made it very clear that the police do want complainants and victims of crime to come forward. I think women in New Zealand can be very clear that those matters will be dealt with with sensitivity thoroughness real professionalism and the resources that they merit.Marama Fox: Kia ora e te Mana Whakawā. Does the Minister agree with Rape Crisis that the system fails survivors of sexual violence; if she does how will she ensure that the system does deliver justice for survivors and their whānau?Hon SIMON BRIDGES: Of course the justice system works incredibly hard to support victims of sexual violence. We are constantly reviewing the way they interact with the system and we are interested in ways in which we can improve the experience of complainants. I note for instance that there is much going on in relation to specialist court victim advisers funding for victim support and rape prevention education also in this area. So it is something that is being worked on very hard indeed.