TABLE OF CONTENTS TERMS OF REFERENCE....................................................................................................................4 METHOD FOR COMPILING THE REPORT...................................................................................5 INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................................8 PART ONE:  SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS..............................................................10 GENERAL............................................................................................................................................10 CHANGE IN APPROACH TO LAW REFORM ...........................................................................................11 RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE LAW COMMISSION AND EXECUTIVE GOVERNMENT ............................11 IMPLEMENTATION OF COMMISSION REPORTS.....................................................................................12 USE OF PARLIAMENTARY COUNSEL OFFICE .......................................................................................13 TIMELINESS OF REPORTS ....................................................................................................................13 POLICY ADVICE FROM THE LAW COMMISSION...................................................................................14 INDEPENDENCE VERSUS WORKING IN ALIGNMENT WITH GOVERNMENT PROCESS.............................14 APPOINTMENTS ..................................................................................................................................15 ADVISORY ROLE.................................................................................................................................16 OTHER ROLES FOR THE LAW COMMISSION.........................................................................................16 COMMISSION PROCEDURES ................................................................................................................16 MANAGEMENT....................................................................................................................................17 MAORI DIMENSION.............................................................................................................................17 RESOURCES OF THE LAW COMMISSION ..............................................................................................17 PART TWO: HISTORY OF NEW ZEALAND LAW REFORM MACHINERY PRIOR TO 1986 ........................................................................................................19 SUMMARY ..........................................................................................................................................19 LAW REFORM PRIOR TO 1937.............................................................................................................20 THE LAW REVISION COMMITTEE........................................................................................................21 OTHER LAW REFORM MECHANISMS 1937-1966 ................................................................................25 AD HOC MEASURES ...........................................................................................................................31 THE LAW COMMISSION ......................................................................................................................32 PART THREE: OVERSEAS MODELS – CURRENT TRENDS IN LAW REFORM MACHINERY IN THE UK, CANADA AND AUSTRALIA............................................................34 THE CONTINUED NEED FOR LAW COMMISSIONS................................................................................34 LAW REFORM BODIES THAT HAVE REMAINED THE SAME SINCE THEIR INCEPTION IN THE 1960S AND 1970S..................................................................................................35 LAW REFORM BODIES ESTABLISHED IN THE 1960S AND 1970S THAT HAVE BEEN REVIEWED AND CHANGED DURING THE 1990S..................................................................................40 LAW REFORM BODIES THAT HAVE BEEN RESTRUCTURED DURING THE 1990S...................................42 LAW REFORM BODIES THAT HAVE BEEN ABOLISHED IN THE 1990S ...................................................43 LAW REFORM BODIES THAT HAVE BEEN RE-ESTABLISHED IN THE 1990S...........................................45 PART FOUR: THE NEW ZEALAND LAW COMMISSION.........................................................51 INTRODUCTION...................................................................................................................................51 STATUTORY FRAMEWORK FOR THE LAW COMMISSION......................................................................52 ANALYSIS OF THE LAW COMMISSION’ S INDEPENDENCE.....................................................................56 HAS THE LAW COMMISSION ACHIEVED ITS STATUTORY PURPOSE AND FUNCTIONS, AND HOW DO THESE OBJECTIVES STAND UP IN LIGHT OF EXPERIENCE?.......................61 CURRENT OBSTACLES TO ACHIEVING THE STATUTORY PURPOSE ......................................................63 NEED FOR GREATER MULTI-DISCIPLINARY EXPERTISE ......................................................................64 PROJECT SIZE .....................................................................................................................................67 IMPLEMENTATION OF LAW COMMISSION REPORTS .........................................................69 THE RECORD CONCERNING ENACTMENTS..........................................................................................69 ANALYSIS OF REPORT CARD ..............................................................................................................81 REASONS FOR LOW IMPLEMENTATION RATE......................................................................................83 ACHIEVING A BETTER RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE LAW COMMISSION AND THE EXECUTIVE GOVERNMENT ..........................................................94 MINISTER FOR LAW REFORM..............................................................................................................95 INCREASED IMPLEMENTATION OF COMMISSION REPORTS..................................................................96 THE PROVISION OF DRAFTING RESOURCES TO THE LAW COMMISSION ..............................................99 PROPER USE OF GOVERNMENT RESOURCES BY THE LAW COMMISSION...........................................101 RELATIONSHIP WITH OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCIES................................................104 LAW COMMISSION AS ADVISER TO GOVERNMENT ...........................................................................106