52 Statutory Framework for the Law Commission 201.  The  Law  Commission  Act  had  its  origins  in  Labour  Party  policy  formulated before the 1984 election.  The policy commitment was as follows:    Labour will appoint a full-time Law Reform Commission.  The first priority will be to  recommend  how  New  Zealand’s  law  can   be  made  more  understandable  and accessible to the general public.    202.  The  Commissioners  who  were  to  comprise  the  first  Law  Commission  were appointed before the Law Commission Act was even passed, and they assisted in its design.    203.  The statutory framework for the Law Commission under the Law Commission Act suggests that the Law Commission is largely, but not entirely, independent of the Government of the day and of Parliament. Purpose 204.  The purpose of the Law Commission Act is simple:    The   purpose   of   this   Act   is   to   promote   the   systematic   review,   reform,   and development of the law of New Zealand.    205.  There   was   a   deliberate   choice   not   to   name   the   body   the   Law   Reform Commission.    Its  creators  felt  that  the  Commission  had  broader  and  wider constitutional  responsibilities  than  law  reform,  and  that  not  everything  the Commission did should be concerned with reform.    Functions 206.  The Law Commission has four principal functions under the Law Commission Act (section 5).  They are:    ·   To  take  and  keep  under  review  in  a  systematic  way  the  law  of  New Zealand.    ·   To make recommendations for the reform and development of the law of New Zealand.