Ministry of Justice NZ

26/05/2026

From today, new laws have come into force that strengthen victim protections by clearly defining stalking and harassment and making it explicit that this behaviour is illegal.

This is a new criminal offence carrying a maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment.

https://www.justice.govt.nz/about/news-and-media/news/new-laws-set-to-better-protect-people-from-stalking-and-harassment/

15/05/2026

Awesome to see the Wellington Senior Courts Security team rocking their pink shirts for 🩷

30/04/2026

Collecting personal information about someone indirectly? New information privacy principle 3A (IPP 3A) may apply to this information. To find out more, visit the website of the Office of the Privacy Commissioner for helpful guidance and advice. www.privacy.org.nz/resources-and-learning/a-z-topics/ipp3a/

12/04/2026

Mōrena, Thames | Pārāwai District Court is closed today, Monday, April 13, due to adverse weather conditions caused by Cyclone Vaianu.

For more information, please call the Ministry of Justice on 0800 COURTS (0800 268 787).

Send a message to learn more

23/03/2026

New Zealanders are warned that scam text messages are currently circulating that claim to be from the Ministry of Justice about overdue traffic fines.

Our legitimate messages always include:
• your first name
• our phone number to call
• a reference number (called a PPN, it’s also on your Notice of Fine).

If you have received a message without these details, it is not from the Ministry of Justice.

If you are unsure about a message you have received or would like to check whether you have an overdue fine, please call 0800 4 FINES (0800 434 637), Monday to Friday, 8:00am–7:00pm. We will be happy to help you.

15/03/2026

Submissions on New Zealand’s draft report to the United Nations on the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights close this Thursday (19 March). Make a submission online at: ICCPR Draft Report Consultation - Ministry of Justice - Citizen Space. 🔗LINK in comments

Send a message to learn more

26/02/2026

The Government wants to hear from the public and civil society organisations on its draft report to the United Nations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Make a submission online before 19 March 2026 at:

Find and participate in consultations run by the Ministry of Justice.

21/01/2026

Kia ora, Ōpōtiki District Court Hearing Centre is closed today, Thursday, January 22, due to the significant event impacting parts of the North Island.

If you are unable to attend court today because of today's weather, please call 0800 COURTS (0800 268 787) and ask for instructions. You will be contacted if your court event is affected.

26/11/2025

Survey results reveal fresh insights into perceptions of crime

More than half of Kiwis (56%) say they have little fear of crime according to new analysis from the 2024 New Zealand Crime and Victims Survey (NZCVS).

Ministry of Justice Sector Insights General Manager Rebecca Parish says the NZCVS measures New Zealanders’ trust and confidence in the justice system, their views on fairness and effectiveness, and their concerns about different types of offending.

“The survey provides valuable insights into New Zealanders’ views on crime and how it impacts them. Our newly released analysis reveals that fear of crime is not uniformly experienced by all.”
Five new factsheets based on responses from the Public Perceptions Module, a new set of questions included in the 2024 NZCVS are being released today. The NZCVS is an annual face-to-face survey of around 7000 people aimed at capturing reported and unreported personal and household crime.

The results include the following:
• In 2024, almost 9 out of 10 adults (89%) were concerned about interpersonal violence nationwide. In contrast, only about 4 out of 10 adults (37%) were concerned about it in their own neighbourhoods.
• Concerns at a neighbourhood level were higher among specific groups, namely victims of crime (46%), adults who feel unsafe (53%), Māori (49%), Pacific Peoples (46%), and those living in the most deprived areas (52%).
• Despite experiencing similar or lower levels of victimisation compared to the New Zealand average, Asian adults and Pacific Peoples reported a higher fear of crime
• Victims’ reduced trust in the justice system appears to be due to a reduced belief that the criminal justice system is fair and effective.
• Māori have consistently lower levels of trust and confidence in the justice system compared to non-Māori.

The factsheets cover the following areas:

• how concern about violent crime varies at nationwide and neighbourhood levels across groups
• how fear of crime varies across different population groups
• how beliefs about the causes of crime differ across groups
• factors behind lower Māori trust in the system
• factors behind lower victims’ trust in the system.

Victims have a far lower level of trust in the justice system than non-victims, the results show.

“However, trust improves when victims are given more opportunity to participate in the system and to understand what is being done to help them. As a result, different parts of the justice system are trying new ways to better support the victims of crime,” Rebecca Parish says.

06/11/2025

Public consultation on the Ministry of Justice's Long-term Insights Briefing on The Future Operation of the Courts and Justice Services closes this Sunday (November 9).

Secretary for Justice Andrew Kibblewhite has penned an Op Ed on the LTIB for Law News, and a link to the relevant page on the Ministry's website can be found in the comments.

Andrew Kibblewhite As New Zealand’s population grows and ages and societal expectations change, the way our court system operates will need to change too. Shifts in demographics are projected to see more diversity, greater rates of disability and more people facing mental health challenges. By 204...