New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

's Law Commission was established in 1986 by the Law Commission Act 1985. The Commission is an independent

Crown entity A Crown entity (from the Commonwealth term ''Crown'') is an organisation that forms part of New Zealand's state sector established under the Crown Entities Act 2004, a unique umbrella governance and accountability statute. The Crown Entities Act i ...

as defined in the

Crown Entities Act 2004 In New Zealand, the Crown Entities Act 2004 is a statute which provides the framework for the establishment, governance, and operation of Crown entities; and to clarify accountability relationships between Crown entities, their board members, ...

. The main objective of the Law Commission, as declared in its founding legislation, is to monitor and critically analyse the laws of New Zealand with a view to identifying—and proposing solutions to—their possible shortcomings. The Law Commission reviews, reforms and develops New Zealand law. It then makes recommendations to Government to improve the law. It also advises its Responsible Minister and government agencies on how to make the law more accessible and easier to understand. The Commission has a commitment to consult the public on areas of law that it reviews. It promotes discussion and consultation by publishing Issues Papers. It invites submissions from the public before it makes recommendations to the Responsible Minister. It publishes these recommendations in a report to Parliament. The Minister tables the report and the government then decides whether and how it will amend the law. The commission is part of the

Commonwealth Association of Law Reform Agencies The Commonwealth Association of Law Reform Agencies is an international association of permanent Law reform commission, law reform agencies within Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth nations that work on law reform. The organization hosts regular ...

Current Commissioners

As of June 2022, the Law Commission comprises four commissioners: *Amokura Kawharu (President) *Claudia Geiringer *Geof Shirtcliffe *The Hon Justice Christian Whata

Projects

The Commission's projects have included: *Review of Abortion Law Reform *The Use of DNA in Criminal Investigations *Review of the

Property (Relationships) Act 1976 The Property (Relationships) Act 1976 is a New Zealand statute that primarily deals with the division of property of married couples, domestic partnership, de facto couples and civil union couples when they separate or when one of them dies. In ...

*Declaratory Judgments *Second Review of the

Evidence Act 2006 The Evidence Act 2006 is an Act of the Parliament of New Zealand that codifies the laws of evidence. When enacted, the Act drew together the common law and statutory provisions relating to evidence into one comprehensive scheme, replacing most ...

References

External links

Law Commission's official website
{{Authority control New Zealand independent crown entities

Law Commission A law commission, law reform commission, or law revision commission is an independent body set up by a government to conduct law reform; that is, to consider the state of laws in a jurisdiction and make recommendations or proposals for legal chang ...

Law commissions 1986 establishments in New Zealand Law reform in New Zealand

Current Commissioners

Projects

See also

References

External links