Mike Bain/cvnznews.com
Conservatives NZ says New Zealand’s justice system has become unaffordable, inaccessible, and increasingly stacked in favour of those who can pay for legal representation — and is calling for sweeping reforms aimed at reducing costs, limiting adversarial litigation, and restoring public confidence in the courts.
Senior Policy Advisor Ross Meurant says the current system effectively places “the key to justice” in the hands of lawyers and barristers, creating a pathway where clearing one’s name often requires selling or mortgaging family homes. For many New Zealanders, he says, the price of justice has become out of reach.
The party’s proposed Justice Policy centres on shifting New Zealand away from a litigation‑heavy model and toward mandated mediation, negotiated settlement, and restorative resolution. Court proceedings, under the policy, would become a last resort rather than the default.
Conservatives NZ argues that early, affordable dispute resolution would reduce financial pressure on families and prevent legal agents from “deliberately extending litigation for financial gain.” The party wants a formal handbrake on legal fees, along with an independent body — separate from both the Law Society and the Law Commission — to review fees charged by lawyers and barristers.
Another proposal includes reviewing the merit of establishing a final appeal court similar to the Privy Council, giving New Zealanders an additional safeguard in cases where they believe justice has not been served.
The party also wants stronger protections to ensure procedural tools such as security for costs cannot be used to block ordinary New Zealanders from accessing the courts. “The justice system must balance the protection of defendants against the right of every person to have a legitimate claim determined on its merits, regardless of financial resources,” the policy states.
Conservatives NZ is also targeting digital platforms, arguing that Google and social media companies routinely fail to comply with New Zealand’s Clean Slate law. Minor convictions that should be wiped after a set period often remain visible online, undermining the intent of the legislation and harming people’s employment prospects.
The party says reform is essential to restore fairness, affordability, and trust in the justice system — and to ensure legal outcomes are determined by merit rather than money.
