Hon Paul Goldsmith
Minister of Justice

Hon Nicole McKee
Associate Minister of Justice

The Government has agreed to fund new courthouses for both Whanganui and Papakura to help improve access to justice and court timeliness, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith and Associate Minister Nicole McKee say.

“In both cases the current buildings are not fit for purpose and need to be replaced. Staying put is not an option,” Mr Goldsmith says.

“The current Papakura courthouse is a leaky building which has been fully covered in plastic wrap since 2021 to stop moisture getting in.

“Construction will begin mid 2025 at the site of the former RSA, which was purchased by the Ministry of Justice for $11m. As the construction contract for this project is currently being negotiated, the exact funding amount is currently commercially sensitive.”

“The current Whanganui High Court and District Court is not fit for purpose and does not have sufficient capacity for large jury trials, being in a leased building originally constructed in the late 1960s,” Mrs McKee says.

“The Ministry of Justice will invest $100m into the rebuild with construction already underway. It will have four courtrooms including two jury capable courtrooms, one of which is suitable for large multi-defendant jury trials.

“We need to ensure that courthouses are up to standard, and we expect both of these projects to provide safer spaces for victims, defendants, participants, and their families.”

The new courthouses are expected to be operational in 2027.

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