Smith: Piecemeal approach to justice sells NZ short

The Government's announcement that it is considering creating yet another tribunal for disputes over badly built houses is testament to its lack of a vision for the development of New Zealand's legal system, United Future's Murray Smith said today.

"And this comes on top of the Weathertight Homes Resolution Service that, in 13 months, has solved just 45 of 2100 claims.

"This is building an ad hoc justice system based on this week's bright idea, and it simply doesn't work," Mr Smith, United Future's justice spokesman, said.

"What the Government needs to do is work out why the existing courts system is failing and then fix it. But given that delays and costs have been the usual bugbears, I hardly see how a new tribunal seriously addresses such concerns.

"I raised similar issues when the Weathertight Homes Resolution Service was brought into being. Where is this going to stop?" Mr Smith asked.

Ends.

© Scoop Media