A total of $1.3bn has been earmarked for policing, corrections and law and order agencies
Justice minister Paul Goldsmith has revealed that a total of $1.3bn has been allocated towards policing, corrections and law and order agencies in Budget 2026.
In a 28 May news release, Goldsmith said $224m has been earmarked for the justice ministry, $391m for frontline policing support and $512m for corrections.
For 2026-2027, a total of $30.280m has been allocated towards alleviating legal aid-related demand-driven cost pressures. The funds will support legal aid services key to effective court operation and sustain the provision of legal advice and representation to qualified court participants.
Moreover, $12.154m in 2026-2027 has been earmarked to address court and coroner-related demand-driven cost pressures. The investment will sustain the provision of support and representation to court participants and facilitate the judiciary’s access to specialist information necessary for them to progress cases.
The justice ministry said it would advance efforts to ensure the financial sustainability of schemes and services. The New Zealand Law Society also applauded the ministry’s call to launch the Accessible and Affordable Justice Programme as a response to the 2025 Triennial Legal Aid Review.
Another $100m will be invested in the construction of two new courthouses for the Rotorua Law Courts and the Rotorua Māori Land Court. The fit-for-purpose buildings are expected to support the coming demand for justice services in the region.
The Rotorua Law Courts will include the High Court, District Court and Coroners Court operations. Its planning and design process is ongoing, with construction expected to commence next year. The building is set to begin operating in mid-2030.
Once the Rotorua Law Courts facility is open, the previous Rotorua courthouse building will be demolished to make way for the Rotorua Māori Land Court on Tutanekai St. According to Goldsmith, the new facilities will improve safety and security for court users.
“Victims, jurors, witnesses, and defendants should not all be forced to use the same entrances”, he said in a statement.
The budget for project operating costs relating to courthouse maintenance and repair has increased by $9.189m while that for remuneration costs for staff delivering frontline services, including court and security staff work to be completed on priority courthouses, has risen by $7.749m.
A total of $34.112m has been allocated to the digital case management system as phase 1 is set to launch in the Family Court jurisdictions of the Christchurch and Ashburton District Courts in November.
A total of $46.331m has been earmarked for the launch and operation of a planning tribunal to be established by the Planning Bill in line with resource management overhaul.
A total of $2.228m has been allocated in the 2026-2027 financial year towards addressing current demand for low-level dispute resolution in the Employment Relations Authority.
A total of $831m per year over the next four financial years has been set aside for the implementation of amendments to the Holidays Act in the interest of easy and low-cost compliance.
Over a four-year period, $44.903m will be allocated towards an amended firearms system. Changes include the launch of Firearms Safety and Education New Zealand as an independent entity and the update of firearms licensing, case management and registration to bolster public safety and efficiency.
The offender levy will rise from $50 to $100, emphasising the damage done to victims of criminal behaviour. The funds will be applied towards services catering to victims of serious crime.
Police minister Mark Mitchell added that funds have been allocated for the replacement of the automated biometric identification system, which he said was near end of life.
“The biometric system is fundamental to core policing. It allows officers to identify offenders using fingerprints, and link them to specific crime scenes, incidents, and criminal histories. Investing in new technology with modernised features will provide a more effective and efficient system, delivering faster outcomes for victims and improved public safety”, he said.
The police will also receive nearly $50m to finance the delivery of frontline services and operations.
Over four years, $18m will be earmarked for boosting the country’s response to migrant exploitation and immigration non-compliance. Three frontline teams will be established to tackle serious offending matters, provide protection and add to the number of cases under investigation.
The funding to support the processing of claims refugee and protected persons status has increased to $87.553m for 2026-2027.
