15
They are the extent to which projects:
·
Involve issues that span the interests of a number of government agencies
and professional groups;
·
Require substantial long-term commitment and fundamental review;
·
Involve extensive public or professional consultation;
·
Need to be done independently of central government agencies because of
the existence of vested interests, or a significant difference of views;
·
Require independent consideration in order to promote informed public
debate on future policy direction.
16
The range and type of topics suitable for the Law Commission is illustrated by the
following list of the reports completed in the past two years and some projects in
the current work programme. (Appendix Two provides a short description of
projects currently underway and Appendix Three lists the publications over the
last five years.)
Reports published in the last two years
·
Delivering Justice: Review of Courts and Tribunals
·
New Issues in Legal Parenthood
·
Review of the Life Insurance Act 1908
·
Covert Filming
·
Pre-Trial Criminal Processes: Justice through Efficiency
·
Review of Infringement Offences
Current projects
·
Review of access to courts records
·
Entry, Search and Seizure
·
Review of the forfeiture powers in the Customs Act
·
Criminal Defences
·
Maori Legal Entities
·
Human Rights in the Pacific
Relationship with the Minister, Government and Parliament
17
In May or June each year, the responsible Minister and President of the Law
Commission sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which includes an
agreed work programme for the new financial year. Development of the work
programme requires the Minister to liaise with Cabinet colleagues and officials on
possible projects that the Commission might undertake. The Commission is
sometimes asked to collaborate with agencies on projects already in train and in
that case usually writes a study paper rather than a report to be tabled in
Parliament.