The Ministry of Justice has reported that the Chief Justice and the Secretary for Justice and Chief Executive of the ministry have signed an agreement outlining their respective responsibilities in delivering justice in New Zealand courts.
The December issue of the ministry's Justice Matters newsletter says the Memorandum of Understanding was signed by Dame Sian Elias CJ and Andrew Bridgman on 13 November 2018.
"The agreement formalises and sets out the constitutional principles on which the relationship between the ministry and the judiciary is based, and identifies our respective and shared responsibilities regarding the operation of the courts," it says.
"While these principles are not new, for the first time they have been written down in a mutually agreed form. Recording the principles in this way is a major achievement. They’ll provide guidance on working together with mutual respect to foster a good relationship."