LEGAL LOWDOWN ISSUE 28 October 2015 2 NEW ACC LAWS 3 GAMBLING LAWS & LOW INCOME LOANS Passports Amendment Bill (No 2) 2015- Passed! On 15 October, International Affairs Minister, Peter Dunne an- nounced the passage of the Passports Amendment Bill (No 2). This new law will enable the issue of 10 year passports to adult New Zealanders. These will replace the current 5 year pass- ports. It is important to note that children passports will still have a 5 year expiry as the appearance of a child changes significantly over time. This is consistent with international convention. The rationale behind the law change was to provide greater con- venience to passport holders in having to renew their passports less frequently. These changes also result in a price reduction in the annual average price of an adult passport which will cost no more than $180.00 per passport. 6 RIGHTS TO A REFUND Consumer Law 7 Mental Health Awareness Week 10-YEAR PASSPORTS APPROVED Passports Amendment Bill (No 2) 2015 There are also proposals to extend online services to allow child passport renewals and first-time adult applications to be submitted online. Currently around 40% of adult renewal ap- plications are submitted online. “We must safeguard the highly trusted international reputa- tion of our passport which allows New Zealanders the free- dom to visit approximately 170 countries without applying for a visa.” The 10-years passports will be available from 30 November 2015. For more information about the new 10-year passports, please see the Beehive website. Source: beehive.govt.nz
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1
LEGAL LOWDOWN
ISSUE
28
October 2015
2 NEW ACC LAWS 3
GAMBLING LAWS & LOW INCOME LOANS
Passports Amendment Bill (No 2) 2015-
Passed!
On 15 October, International Affairs Minister, Peter Dunne an-
nounced the passage of the Passports Amendment Bill (No 2).
This new law will enable the issue of 10 year passports to adult
New Zealanders. These will replace the current 5 year pass-
ports.
It is important to note that children passports will still have a 5
year expiry as the appearance of a child changes significantly
over time. This is consistent with international convention.
The rationale behind the law change was to provide greater con-
venience to passport holders in having to renew their passports
less frequently. These changes also result in a price reduction in
the annual average price of an adult passport which will cost no
more than $180.00 per passport.
6 RIGHTS TO A REFUND Consumer Law 7 Mental Health Awareness Week
10-YEAR PASSPORTS APPROVED Passports Amendment Bill (No 2) 2015
There are also proposals to extend online services to allow
child passport renewals and first-time adult applications to be
submitted online. Currently around 40% of adult renewal ap-
plications are submitted online.
“We must safeguard the highly trusted international reputa-
tion of our passport which allows New Zealanders the free-
dom to visit approximately 170 countries without applying for
a visa.”
The 10-years passports will be available from 30 November
2015.
For more information about the new 10-year passports, please
The District Courts have introduced a new text messaging service which reminds those appearing in Court of the Court date through receiving an automated text message the day before their hearing.
There is currently a 4%-6% “no show” rate in case review, sentencing and judge-alone trial events. This results in the issue of 3500+ arrest warrant for those who fail to attend Court.
To sign-up for the new text reminder service, please see
the Ministry of Justice website or call 0800 268 787
Source: ADLSI Lawnews
Community Finance
Low-Income Loans
The Bank of New Zealand has announced that it will in-
crease its support for the Community Finance initiative.
This partnership initiative between the Ministry of Social
Development, BNZ, Good Shepherd NZ and the Salvation
Army, provides interest free and low interest loans to
New Zealanders on low incomes.
This initiative was developed in 2014 with pilot pro-
grammes being set up in South and West Auckland.
Loan applicants currently work with Community Finance
Workers from the Salvation Army in Waitakere and Ma-
nukau, and can apply for support to purchase items which
provide economic opportunities and improve the quality
of life, such as cars and car repairs and household items
such as appliances and computers.
It is hoped that as a result of the initiative loan applicants
are able to better resource themselves for ongoing educa-
tion opportunities and employment.
The Minister for Social Development, Anne Tolley, wel-
comes the pledge of $50 million from BNZ saying that
“Community Finance offers an alternative to high-interest
loans and the type of easy credit which has huge hidden
fees.”
For more information, see the Salvation Army website.
Te Reo Māori: Māori Language (Te Reo Māori) Bill Kua whakaae te kāhui minita ki ngā panonitanga I te ture reo
Māori hou. Ka tirohia e tātou ēnā panonitanga.
Key proposals to amend the Māori Language (Te Reo Māori)
Bill have been approved by Cabinet.
The key proposals include:
Giving legislative status to two Māori Language Strat-
egies, one the responsibility of the Crown, which will
focus on national-level issues and the other strategy
the responsibility of tangata whenua that will focus on
matters at an iwi and community level; and
That the primary responsibilities of Te Mātāwai to
support whānau, hapu, iwi and communities, but also
enabling it to influence central government efforts;
and
Adjusting the membership of Te Mātāwai to ensure
representation for urban Maori and providing for Te
Puni Kokiri to facilitate the selection process; and
Maintaining Te Taurawhiri and Te Māngai Pāho as
Crown Entities and;
Establishing two governance and engagement forums
between Te Mātāwai and the Crown
These proposals are supported by the Minister of Maori De-
velopment.
Cabinet has also agreed to enact the Bill in both English and Māori, with the Māori text prevailing in law should there be a dispute around interpretation.
For more information, see the Te Puni Kokiri website