Gallagher Martin: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to MembersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeGallagher Martin: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members[Sitting date: 11 October 2007. Volume:642;Page:12306. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]11.MARTIN GALLAGHER (Labour—Hamilton West) to theMinister for Courts: What has he done to improve court facilities?Hon RICK BARKER (Minister for Courts): Last month the Minister ofMāori Affairs Parekura Horomia and I opened the refurbished TaiRāwhitiMāori Land Court. This is the fifthMāori Land Court to be refurbished the others being in Christchurch Wellington Rotorua and Hastings. In addition work is occurring at Hastings Palmerston North andTaupō District Courts work is set to begin at Nelson Timaru and Invercargill the Auckland District Court and at Whangarei and in time the Manukau and Levin courts are high on the lists. In the past 12 months I have opened two new courthouses one in Greymouth and one in Queenstown as well as the fully refurbished Blenheim court. In response to this member’s constant advocacy the Hamilton court is also being looked at. It is fair to say the achievements of this Labour-led Government have eclipsed any of the previous Government’s in this area.Martin Gallagher: What other improvements are being made and has he seen any reports outlining alternative approaches to managing our courts?Hon RICK BARKER: As well as a huge programme of investment in restoring our courthouses after a decade of neglect and cutbacks in real money terms under National the Labour-led Government is making huge strides in all-round performance improvement. I recently announced that e-filing is under way with savings of over 2000 reams of paper a year demonstrating Labour’s commitment to introducing sustainable business practice. As well there is videoconferencing digital audio recording Pay or Stay improvements in the infringement system the service improvement programme more judges more courtrooms better facilities and better information technology infrastructure and the list goes on. Labour has a policy programme and we are delivering on it. However I have seen reports showing that National still has no idea. It is waiting with no policy except mutterings from National’s Simon Power calling for greater investment in the system while Kate Wilkinson says there should be no more investment as it will not do anything. We are left with one conclusion: National still has not got a clue and will end up saying that whatever Labour says is right because Labour has got the ideas.Kate Wilkinson: Does the Minister’s failure to answer my written question No. 13961 which was lodged over 2 months ago and sought updated waiting times for courts mean that he is embarrassed because the figures are worse than the previous averages of 290 days for the High Court and 256 days for the District Court; or can he not say when I will get an answer because as he has stated: “Predictions are always difficult particularly when they are about the future.”?Hon RICK BARKER: I will take time to track down question No. 13961 but I can tell the member that there is a very good story to be told about our court system. In the Auckland High Court jury trial disposals have improved by 10 percent—that is a 10 percent improvement in efficiency. In the District Court jury trial disposals have improved by 8 percent and in the Auckland District Court by 13 percent. Criminal summary disposals have increased by 8 percent. These are exceptionally good figures.