New Whanganui courthouse

A new courthouse is being built in Whanganui that will create a more community-centred approach to justice and social outcomes. The new Whanganui Courthouse will be part of a wider community wellbeing hub, Te Puna Hapori.

Te Puna Hapori is an iwi and hapū-led whānau and community wellbeing vision for Whanganui and is the name of the transformational kaupapa and physical site.

Te Puna Hapori is a partnership between Whanganui Iwi and Hapū, the Ministry of Justice, New Zealand Police, and Whanganui District Council and sets out a different approach to ensuring wellbeing through a focus on community and whānau. The holistic vision recognises that a single initiative or service is unlikely to be sufficient to address complex issues without shifting the conditions that are restraining the issues and achieving an overall goal of “‘Toitū te Whānau – uniting to improve the wellbeing of our whānau and community”.

Te Puna Hapori is underpinned by a core set of values that guide the project:

Toitū te Kupu – Relationship of Integrity

The intent of one’s word and the truth of its expression.

Toitū te Mana – Relationship of Authority

Recognition of the permanence of Iwi Mana and the sharing of responsibility to uphold that mana.

Toitū te Whenua – Relationship of Sustenance

The connection of humanity with the natural world, and the duty of care by humanity towards the natural world

The new courthouse will be built alongside the existing Rangahaua Marae, a new Police Hub and a shared Care Facility which will provide the custodial functions for both the Courthouse and the Police Hub. Plans for the northern half of the site continue to develop with opportunity for other wellbeing and community services to join Te Puna Hapori.

It will provide increased courtroom capacity – four courtrooms, two of which are jury enabled, safer people-centred facilities for victims, defendants, participants, and their families, and improved flexible spaces that support the health and safety of all court users and their changing needs.

There are a number of key drivers and outcomes for the new Whanganui Courthouse:

• improved access and experience for all court participants.
• a built environment that supports better separation of parties through the provision of interview and whānau spaces and is dynamic to meet future operational needs and models.
• improved efficiency and timeliness of access to justice, by minimising the risk of asset failure, ensuring facilities are open and operable, and ensuring they can meet volume and capacity demands.
• meeting statutory requirements by ensuring the facilities where our people work and where we provide services are safe, healthy and support wellbeing of all participants including public, judiciary and staff.
• improving the social and economic wellbeing of the people of Whanganui through partnership between the Crown and iwi.
• improved safety (physical and psychological) for all court users (including the public, judiciary, the legal profession and staff).

To develop the design brief, the design team worked with the Te Puna Hapori partners and broader Whanganui Courthouse stakeholders to create five courthouse design principles that set the foundation for the design of the courthouse. These principles are directly linked to Toitū te Whānau and Te Puna Hapori’s foundational framework:

• Mātāmua Ko Te Hapori – Community Focus
• He Wāhimahi o Nāianei – An Inclusive Environment
• He Wāhi Hirahira – A Strengthened Sense of Place
• Hui Manahau – Mana-Enhancing
• Wairua Rangaawatea – Integrity and Harmony

These principals are grounded in what we heard throughout the stakeholder engagement and are embedded within the vision of Te Puna Hapori.

As well as the four new courtrooms, the new Courthouse will also accommodate two hearing rooms, a mediation room, 12 interview rooms, five whānau rooms, vulnerable person suites, lawyer rooms and a secure internal courtyard to allow court users to step outside whilst remaining within the Courthouse.

There is space within the Courthouse for wrap around services to ensure alignment with any future operational changes and the requirements that come with these.

Throughout the design process there was an emphasis on creating a space that eases anxiety. Natural light in all courtrooms provides a connection to place, and a central landscaped courtyard allows people to feel connected to the whenua while inside the building.

The build itself consists of a three-storey building that houses the four courtrooms and a single storey section that is more community focused and welcoming for all visitors.

Criminal Courts are located on the upper level of the building, providing key views out towards the Puna, Mounga, and the wider Whanganui landscape. Elevated above the public realm, and shrouded with perforated screening, court functions can occur with a sense of privacy, yet with a strong sense of place and connection back to the Whanganui community.

The Ministry partnered with NZ Police to approach the procurement of the main contractor jointly alongside Tupoho, which has seen Naylor Love come on as our construction partner and will construct the Courthouse, Police Hub and Care Facility.

Both the Courthouse and the Care Facility are scheduled to be opened in mid- 2027.

Further information on Te Puna Hapori can be found on its Facebook page or website.

• Te Puna Hapori – Community Space & Wellness hub in Whanganui www.tepunahapori.com
• Te Puna Hapori | Whanganui | Facebook

Site inductions for lawyers

With court operations set to continue from the existing building until the new Whanganui courthouse is fully operational, the Ministry reminds all lawyers who work there to take advantage of the site-specific security inductions available to them. Lawyers are encouraged to refresh their site security knowledge each year. To enroll in a security induction at a courthouse where you work, speak to the local court security team or email the Ministry of Justice National Security Operations (NSO) NSOAdmin@justice.govt.nz