12 Annual Report
The new Search and Surveillance Bill (which replaces the Search
and Surveillance Powers Bill) amends 84 Acts administered by
19 different departments and was ready for introduction by year end.
The Commission is to be invited to be advisers to the Select Committee
on the Bill. A new Criminal Procedure Act will be ready for introduction
in Parliament in the 2009/10 year following an extensive consultation
process that took place on a series of 10 comprehensive discussion
papers. Extensive piloting of proposed new procedures has also occurred
in two District Courts.
Our project reviewing Part 8 of the Crimes Act 1961 was on track to
publish an issues paper during the year. However, it was accorded high
priority by the new Government following the election, and reform
recommendations will be published in a legislative commentary and
draft bill early in the 2009/10 financial year.
During the year three bills from previous Commission reports were
introduced:
Inquiries Bill (NZLC R102)
Search and Surveillance Powers Bill (NZLC R97)
Limitation Bill (NZLC R6 & R61)
Including these and the bills listed below, at year end a total of six
bills from previous Commission reports were carried over to the
new Parliament:
Trustee Amendment Bill (NZLC R79)
Unit Titles Bill (NZLC R59)
Waka Umanga (Maori Corporations) Bill (NZLC R92 2006)
In addition, five bills relating to previous Commission reports have been
or are being drafted:
Costs in Criminal Cases (NZLC R60)
Criminal Defences: Provocation (NZLC R98)
Damages and Awards of Interest (NZLC R28)
Habeas Corpus Amendment (NZLC R100)
Life Insurance (NZLC R87)
Advisory work
In addition to the law reform work programme, the Commission
continued to be involved in advisory work much of which was on
a regular and highly visible basis through the LAC and the LDC,