Legal aid reforms threaten quality access to justice

Legal aid reforms announced by the Government today threaten the access of Kiwis to justice, says Labour’s Justice spokesperson Charles Chauvel.

“At the heart of this ‘reform’ is his proposal to ramp up the Public Defence Service (PDS) massively to take up to 50 percent of criminal legal aid cases in Auckland, Hamilton and Wellington over time, expanding to Tauranga, Hastings, Dunedin and Christchurch when circumstances permit.

“Labour initiated the PDS trial, initially in Auckland, and supports the concept,” Charles Chauvel said. “Our concern is that there is a lack of balance in what Simon Power is now proposing, however, and that this will lead to a lack of quality in terms of legal defence options for Kiwis facing charges.

“There is a real danger, given the Government’s stated intention to send half the work the way of the PDS, that this will be at the expense of a quality private sector, particularly if the PDS simply employs a whole lot of inexperienced and cheaper lawyers,” Charles Chauvel said.

“It is unlikely to be cheaper in the long run if Kiwis don’t get access to quality justice.

“Labour also supports a greater role for community law centres, but that can’t happen if centres don’t get the resources they need to do handle more work,” Charles Chauvel said.

“Simon Power told community law centres yesterday that there would be no more money for them."

“No one is arguing that legal aid doesn’t need reforming. It does. That’s why Labour welcomed Dame Margaret Bazley’s review in 2009.

“But the reform must entail a balanced provision of services.” Charles Chauvel said. “Simon Power has destroyed that with his announcement.”