ACT New Zealand

Access to justice means little if people wait years for their case to be resolved. ACT’s first priority is therefore to keep reducing court delays.

Under Nicole McKee as Courts Minister, the District Court criminal backlog saw consistent improvements, but still needs more work. There have also been significant improvements across the civil jurisdiction, Disputes Tribunal, Family Court and Coroners Court. We thanks those frontline staff who’s efforts have been critical in this progress. ACT would continue to make changes, working with the whole justice sector to improve scheduling, reduce unnecessary adjournments, make better use of technology and deploy judicial resources where they are most needed.

We have also supported expanding the Disputes Tribunal’s jurisdiction and allowing successful parties to recover their filing fee, making it easier for people to resolve lower-value disputes without the cost of full court proceedings.

Legal aid remains essential for people who cannot afford representation. The Government invested an additional $30.28 million in legal aid for 2026/27 and begun work with the profession, judiciary and justice agencies on the drivers of rising costs. ACT supports ensuring the scheme is accessible, efficient and financially sustainable, including removing unnecessary barriers to lawyers becoming approved legal aid providers.

Alliance

The Alliance believes that justice cannot be equal if quality legal representation is available only to those who can afford it. The Alliance understands the current government is yet to announce membership of the Practitioners Advisory Group (PAG) working with the Ministry of Justice on the current Government’s Accessible and Affordable Justice programme. The Alliance will engage with the PAG findings in due course.

The Alliance has reservations that trying to “fix” the current model of legal aid is the best approach.

The New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990 provides for the right to criminal legal aid without cost if the interests of justice require. Criteria for legal aid should always focus on “unmet legal need”, and the interest of justice should be the key criteria for access to legal aid. Criteria such as “insufficient means”, “efficiency” and “effectiveness” do not necessarily always address an unmet legal need.

A new model might comprise a combination of the current system complemented by expansions involving Community Law Centres, Public Defender Offices, development of competent paralegals and expanded pro-bono services provided by all law firms.

An extension of the current low-cost Disputes Tribunal system to more civil cases should be explored.

Animal Justice Party Aotearoa New Zealand

Access to justice should never depend on income. We support reviewing legal aid eligibility, ensuring sustainable remuneration for providers, and expanding access to early legal advice to resolve disputes before they escalate.

We also recognise that justice includes those whose interests cannot be represented directly. Animals cannot vote, instruct counsel or participate in democratic processes, yet legislation affects their lives. Democratic systems already provide representation for those unable to advocate for themselves, such as children, and political theory increasingly supports extending that principle to animals.

We would establish an independent Commissioner for Animals to provide expert advice to Parliament, oversee and monitor the implementation of animal welfare legislation, promote effective enforcement, and advocate for evidence-based policy across government.

Access to justice is also preventative. Strong animal protection contributes to healthier communities, improved environmental outcomes and better public health.

Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party

Ending prohibition of cannabis will save thousands of dollars, and free up access to Justice and the Legal Aid Scheme. The cannabis community has no protection while the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975 is being used against them. Justice needs to be restored to this community who are being criminalised for their beliefs. Cannabis Law Reform should proceed by parliamentary process like the other recent social reforms for Homosexuals and Prostitutes, who did not have to go through a referendum.

Free Palestine

The Free Palestine Party has not developed policy on this issue.

Greens

It is vital that there is equitable access to justice for all of us. The Green Party would extend legal aid and duty lawyers, better resource community law centres and make applications for protection and parenting orders free.

Labour

Legal aid and community law must be properly supported, so that everyone has access to justice. Labour believes that financial means should never be a barrier to justice.

National

We’ve conducted the first review the into legal aid scheme since 2018, and National will ensure this important work continues and gets implemented.

Legal aid is demand driven and spending reflects what is happening in the courts. In recent years we have seen significant increases in spending and those costs are expected to continue to rise. We have a duty to ensure all New Zealanders have access to justice by means of a fair and open process. To do so, we need a scheme that is efficient and sustainable.

We’ve heard from the judiciary, lawyers, and others that changes are needed to address difficulties facing providers and those who need assistance. This review will provide an opportunity to ensure the scheme is efficient, is of good quality, and promotes access to justice in a way that is sustainable and cost-effective.

New Zealand First

Reintroducing the right of accused persons to choose publicly funded private defenders for serious crimes, ensuring proper representation of choice.

Reducing legal costs by mandating greater use of alternative dispute resolution processes (like mediation and arbitration) and creating online tools to review lawyers’ fees. The Government completed its triennial legal aid review and has launched the Accessible and Affordable Justice programme. Some practical reforms are already underway, including more flexible provider-approval requirements and administrative improvements including greater efficiency achieved through using AVL as it reduces the need to transport remand prisoners, speeds up the process and allows more timely access to justice.

Streamlining the legal aid system through more discretionary decision-making, direct consultations with applicants’ lawyers, and online applications.

Restoring lay representation alongside lawyers on the Legal Aid Review Tribunal to ensure a broader perspective.

NZ Loyal

Access to justice requires competent representation, timely decisions and a system focused on resolving disputes rather than generating process.

We do not believe government should routinely fund private legal services. However, where the State prosecutes someone, or where liberty, property, family or fundamental rights are genuinely at stake, access to an impartial advocate capable of properly presenting the case is essential.

Self-representation is often a poor substitute. People personally involved in disputes may lack the legal knowledge, objectivity or advocacy skills needed to present their case effectively, creating both poor outcomes and a lasting belief that justice was not properly considered.

We would review legal aid around case throughput, quality of representation and timely resolution.

We would also explore a publicly funded early-career advocacy pathway for newly admitted lawyers, linked to a period of supervised public service. In return, participants could receive assistance with the cost of legal study and a genuine pathway into practice without being dependent on securing employment with an established firm.

That could simultaneously expand representation, develop practical advocacy skills and reduce barriers for new lawyers entering the profession.

NZ Outdoors and Freedom Party

FREEDOM would facilitate access to justice by making crown legal advice more transparent, particularly where it impacts on fundamental rights and / or the rights of private individuals. The public and community interest groups must be able to access the courts without fear of fees or costs in public interest cases, to enable the courts to undertake their constitutional role as a check and balance on abuse of legislative and executive power.

Opportunity

Opportunity has no specific policy on this but is open to measures to expand legal aid and other supports that address legitimate barriers to accessing the justice system.

Te Tai Tokerau Party

Access to justice depends on having people with the capacity to provide it. We must recognise how critical our lawyers, experts, advisors, and community organisations with lived experience are when it comes to understanding who the system is failing. Legal aid is a clear example of this. Remuneration pressures have contributed to a workforce decline. Government has provided a short-term funding injection that may provide temporary relief, but it does not offer a durable fix.

A legal aid system cannot be accessible if there aren’t enough workers to support demand. This should be especially concerning considering that demand is increasing with the women’s prison population having doubled under this government’s term. Appropriate funding must be provided to legal aid systems to improve outcomes for all.

Vision New Zealand

Justice for Every New Zealander.

Vision NZ believes justice should not depend on a person’s income, location, ability to understand the legal system or ability to find a lawyer. Every New Zealander deserves timely, affordable and impartial access to justice, with courts that protect victims, uphold the rule of law and treat every person with dignity.

We will strengthen legal aid by regularly indexing eligibility thresholds, guaranteeing early legal advice for serious legal problems and simplifying applications. We will support legal-aid lawyers through fairer payments, faster processing, regional incentives and reduced administrative burdens.

We will expand Community Law, legal-information services, mediation and family-law support, and establish regional Justice Hubs connecting people with legal aid, advocacy, victim support, family services and court information. Plain-English information about legal rights will be available nationwide and in major community languages.

Vision NZ will reduce unnecessary delays, backlogs and court complexity through measurable case-resolution targets, improved case management and sufficient resources for judges, court staff and essential services. We will maintain strong independent quality assurance, so people receive competent representation.