4
Annual Report
Presidentfs foreword
Two particularly notable achievements stand out in the 2008/09 year.
First, completion of the three year statute law project with the publication
of two reports Presentation of New Zealand Statute Law
published December 2008,and the
Review of the Statutes Drafting
Compilation Act 1920
1
This project goes to the core purpose of the Law Commission
gpromoting the systematic review of, reform and development of the
law of New Zealandh. The statute book has not had a thorough overhaul
since 1908 and the first report provides practical recommendations that
would make legislation more publicly accessible, including introducing
a subject index and systematic reviewing of statutes. The proposals
were developed in collaboration with the Parliamentary Counsel
Office. The second report is a revision of the Statutes Drafting and
Compilation Act 1920 which governs the Parliamentary Counsel Office.
Our recommendations here would update and enhance the ability of
that office to carry out its functions.
The second significant achievement is the introduction to Parliament
in the last financial year of three very important bills arising from
recent work. Foremost is the Search and Surveillance Bill introduced in
August 2008, based on one of our most complex reports, which provides
a principled framework for the myriad of regulatory and enforcement
powers required by agencies for orderly government. While the Bill was
in select committee the Commission continued to lead substantial work
with agencies, resulting in the introduction of a much revised Bill on
2 July 2009.
The Public Inquiries Bill introduced in October 2008 is the result of
recommendations in our report A New Inquiries Act
published in May 2008. The central piece of legislation considered in
the Report is the Commissions of Inquiry Act 1908, which sets out the
overarching framework and powers of commissions of inquiry and royal
commissions. The Bill, included as a draft within our final report,
reflects our recommendations to establish only two types of inquiry
public inquiries and government inquiries, both having the same powers
with the only distinction being in the manner of appointment.
This regime will bring much greater efficiency and effectiveness to all
inquiries while operating within a proper legal framework.
1 Note also
Presentation of New Zealand Statute Law
