Justice Minister Amy Adams says the official opening of the Christchurch Justice and Emergency Services Precinct will take place in August 2017.

Ms Adams has attended a ceremony to bless the Precinct, alongside Ngāi Tahu, tenant agencies and Precinct staff.

“Today’s blessing marks the next step towards completion, with Ministry of Justice staff being the first to begin their move into the Precinct as fit-outs continue," she says.

“Fit-out of the Justice Building is progressing well and is on track. Fit-out of the public coffee outlet in the Customer Service Centre is also nearly complete.

“In the Emergency Services Building, fit-out of the Emergency Operations Centre is now underway. When complete, the purpose-designed Centre will provide emergency response capability for local and regional incidents.

As part of the blessing, a pounamu touchstone was unveiled.

Ms Adams says the mauri stone will sit on a plinth in the Justice Building atrium. It was gifted from Ngāti Waewae, a Ngāi Tahu hapū based on the West Coast, to the Ngāi Tūāhuriri hapū, who have mana whenua over Christchurch city.

“It has been named ‘E Toru Ngā Mea', after the waiata which refers to the three principles of Whakapono, Tūmanako and Aroha – faith, hope and love,” she says.