Annual report notes ministry collected $261m in fines, reparations, legal aid debt
According to the Ministry of Justice’s 2025/26 annual report, among respondents surveyed, 90 percent of jurors described their overall experience with the ministry as satisfying or better, while 83 percent of court users expressed satisfaction with its services and facilities.
“We have made tangible progress in improving access to justice, strengthening the performance and sustainability of the justice system, and continuing to provide the services New Zealanders rely on,” said Andrew Kibblewhite, New Zealand’s justice secretary, in a news release.
The annual report covered the ministry’s progress in terms of its priorities, its delivery of court and justice services across the country, its response to high service demand, and its advancement of a substantial work program throughout the justice sector.
According to the annual report, within the 2025/26 period, the ministry worked to:
“Our staff work incredibly hard to build a more accessible, effective and resilient justice system while ensuring people can continue to access the services and support they need,” Kibblewhite said in the justice ministry’s news release.
The annual report also highlighted the following achievements within the 2025/26 period:
“At the centre of this work is our purpose: strengthening people’s trust in the law,” Kibblewhite said in the annual report. “Trust is built when justice services are accessible, timely and effective, when people can rely on the institutions that underpin New Zealand’s democracy, and when those affected by crime and harm receive the support and protection they need.”
Here are some other recent news stories involving the justice ministry.
A recently released consultation paper covered draft amendments to court rules to prepare for the implementation of Te Au Reka, a joint initiative of New Zealand’s judiciary and justice ministry, in the District Court (including the Youth Court) and the High Court.
The justice minister appointed eight inaugural members of the Firearms Licensing Review Committee, launched under the Arms Act 2026, for initial 18-month terms beginning on 31 August 2026.
Enjoy this story? Read the latest public sector news on the main page!
