More than 20 years have passed since the framework for the sale of liquor laws was established by the 1986 Working Party on Liquor. The resulting Sale of Liquor Act 1989 has been amended many times over the years, and its overall coherence has...
Our projects
Each project is an area of law or subject matter that the Law Commission has agreed to review. The Commission works on several projects at a time. Together, these projects make up the Commission's annual work programme.
Use the search filters below to find particular projects. For more information on how we work see how we conduct projects.
Project status
- Open (1) Apply Open filter
- (-) Remove Researching issues filter Researching issues
- (-) Remove Closed filter Closed
Areas of law
- (-) Remove Social filter Social
- Public (44) Apply Public filter
- Courts and Dispute Resolution (38) Apply Courts and Dispute Resolution filter
- Criminal (33) Apply Criminal filter
- Civil (30) Apply Civil filter
- Other (30) Apply Other filter
- Family (21) Apply Family filter
- Human Rights (20) Apply Human Rights filter
- Commercial (16) Apply Commercial filter
- Property/Trusts (14) Apply Property/Trusts filter
- Evidence (12) Apply Evidence filter
- Customary and Treaty Settlements Law (10) Apply Customary and Treaty Settlements Law filter
- International Law (6) Apply International Law filter
- Consumer (5) Apply Consumer filter
The Commission was asked to consider and report on whether existing legislation should be amended to cover the conduct of individuals that creates risk to, or public concern about, the preservation of public safety and security. The work is...
This project considers and reports on: whether taking subsequent law changes into account there remains a need for the continued existence of the Joint Family Homes Act 1964; and if there is a need for its continued existence, whether the Act...
The purpose of this project is to examine how the existing New Zealand law applies to those who commit criminal acts in circumstances where they are victims of domestic violence, in particular, the defences of self-defence, provocation, duress...
This project reviews the rules relating to the parental status of adults with children, including the review of the legal meaning of parent, the purpose of parenthood laws, and the importance of the legal relationship between a parent and child...
This project reviews the law of succession. This is the law which governs how a person's property is to be dealt with when they die.
This project involved an examination of the existing mechanisms for compensating victims of crime for harm, loss or damage suffered as the result of that crime. The project considered the adequacy of these mechanisms and made proposals for any...
The purpose of this project is to review the legal framework for adoption in New Zealand as set out in the Adoption Act 1955 and the Adult Adoption Information Act 1985, and to recommend whether and how the framework should be modified to better...
This project examines and reviews that part of the Accident Compensation Act 1982 which recognises and is intended to promote the general principles of community responsibility, comprehensive entitlement, complete rehabilitation, real...
On this project, the Law Commission undertook a first principles review of the Burial and Cremation Act 1964. The Act’s primary purpose is to ensure provision is made for the burial of the dead in a controlled and respectful manner...