88 Justice  projects  for  positions  on  the  legislative  programme.    Not  surprisingly, more political items often gain preference.    330.  There needs to be a fundamental change of attitude to law reform in New Zealand.  It really is a question of what are worthwhile activities in a modern democratic state.  Many of the laws that remain unreformed or unattended are years out of date and impose difficulties for ordinary people.  While that may not  be  manifested  in  political  representation,  the  effects  on  the  society  are nonetheless real.    331.  The Law Commission has commented to the evaluator that: ·   The purpose of law reform is to preserve the fabric of the law and it is unsatisfactory  to  decide  on  a  need  for  repairs  then  leave  the  fabric  to decay further for a number of years before the repairs are actually carried out.  The lost opportunity cost is unacceptable. ·   It  is  inefficient,  if  when  a  Report  comes  to  be  acted  upon,  those  who prepared it have long before left the Commission.  For example it was in 1989  that  the  Commission  recommended  a  Personal  Property  Securities Act; a bill was introduced a decade later. ·   It  is  also  bad  for  morale  to  let  Reports  languish  unaddressed  for  long periods  of  time.  Legal  practitioners  and  others  are  willing  to  help  if something is likely to come of it, but not if the Report is likely to be left to gather dust. 332.  There  needs  to  be  a  re-commitment  to  the  values  that  underpin  the  law reform   enterprise,   and   that   is   one   of   the   prime   reasons   why   it   is recommended in this Report that a Minister should be given that specific responsibility.  There has been a loss of focus in the Government machine on law reform, and society has suffered as a result.  There needs to be a Minister with responsibility for law reform and a Minister who can speak for law reform in the councils of the Government.  In this context the word "reform" should not be misunderstood.  Care and maintenance of the statute book does not always