PSA Media Release Header

3 October 2012

Bombshell delivered to court staff

The Public Service Association says the number of job losses and the extent of a planned overhaul of court services have come as a bombshell for court staff.

The Minister of Justice has just released details of a proposal which will see the closure of four courts, the downsizing of nine others and the disestablishment of more than 200 positions nationwide.

“Staff were briefed this morning and are reeling over the scale of the job losses and the level of change being proposed. This is a very heavy-handed restructuring which has taken staff completely by surprise,” says PSA National Secretary Richard Wagstaff.

“Several tiers of court management are being wiped out and there will be forced redundancies of dozens of staff in the affected courts.”

Court closures and service cutbacks will impact heavily on dozens of small towns and centres around the country.

“Having a court is something local communities put a lot of store in and this proposal will be seen as yet another attack on provincial New Zealand through the continued downgrading of vital public services,” says Mr Wagstaff.”

The government claims the proposal is being driven by a need to modernise the way courts are run.

“While there is nothing wrong with new technology, the fact is that many court users do not have access to computers. Others will now have to travel long distances, and the result will be a court system which is ultimately less accessible and responsive to the needs of the public.”

There is also likely to be additional travel requirements for court staff who will have to provide cover in areas where services are being cut back and there will be extra work coming out of those courts which are closing.

Richard Wagstaff says “it’s important to remember that these radical proposals sit alongside other restructuring programmes within the Ministry of Justice which could result in further job losses. It is another example of the government’s austerity budget pushing people into the dole queue.”

“The government may like to say that this proposal will lead to a modern, accessible and people-centred justice service, but in reality the result will be a poorer service especially for rural communities.”

ends

© Scoop Media