The ability of citizens to bring civil legal proceedings against the Crown and its servants is an important part of New Zealand’s constitution, and is protected by the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990. The Crown Proceedings Act 1950 is the...
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
Areas of law
- (-) Remove Public filter Public
- (-) Remove Criminal filter Criminal
- (-) Remove International Law filter International Law
- Courts and Dispute Resolution (39) Apply Courts and Dispute Resolution filter
- Civil (32) Apply Civil filter
- Other (31) Apply Other filter
- Human Rights (24) Apply Human Rights filter
- Family (22) Apply Family filter
- Social (21) Apply Social filter
- Commercial (17) Apply Commercial filter
- Evidence (14) Apply Evidence filter
- Property/Trusts (14) Apply Property/Trusts filter
- Customary and Treaty Settlements Law (10) Apply Customary and Treaty Settlements Law filter
- Consumer (5) Apply Consumer filter
Project status: Closed
Start date 01 July 2011
Last updated 28 September 2016
Project status: Closed
Start date 13 October 2010
Last updated 11 May 2015
The Commission has undertaken a review of the current regulatory environment for the news media with respect to its adequacy in catering for new and emerging forms of news media – sometimes referred to as the “new media”.
The 3 questions...
Project status: Closed
Start date 01 July 2010
Last updated 29 May 2015
The Judicature Act 1908 is over one hundred years old and has been amended many times. Many of the sections in the Act are outdated, and it contains “hidden” commercial law and judicial review provisions. The focus of the Law Commission’s...
Project status: Closed
Start date 01 July 2009
Last updated 15 June 2016
This project arose from the Commission’s recommendation in their Report, Disclosure to Court of Defendants’ Previous Convictions, Similar Offending, and Bad Character (R103, 2008). The Commission recommended that Government should...
Project status: Closed
Start date 14 April 2009
Last updated 11 May 2015
By enabling scrutiny of government activities, the Official Information Act 1982 and the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 contribute to public trust and confidence in central and local government. The operating...
Project status: Closed
Start date 02 May 2008
Last updated 11 May 2015
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...
Project status: Closed
Start date 10 January 2008
Last updated 11 May 2015
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...
Project status: Closed
Start date 12 October 2007
Last updated 11 May 2015
This Act has not been reviewed for many years and is out of date in a number of respects. The Act covers a range of interests, including remuneration of the Governor-General, Ministers and Members of Parliament, which make independent...
Project status: Closed
Start date 12 October 2007
Last updated 11 May 2015
This project involves examining the possibility of simplifying the expression and content of the law of judicial review in the Judicature Amendment Act 1972 and Part 7 of the High Court Rules. The focus of this review will be procedural; it will...
Project status: Closed
Start date 01 July 2007
Last updated 11 May 2015
It has been more than 30 years since the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975 was first enacted. The Act has been amended on numerous occasions and is complex and difficult to understand and navigate. The Act’s framework is based on the recommendations of...