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Crimes (Substituted section 59) Amendment Act 2007 - Six Month Review

Date Published: 
June 2008

On 22 June 2007, the Amendment came into force. Following the commencement, Police agreed to undertake a three month review (23 June to 28 September 2007) of the impact of the Amendment on Police activity. A summary of the three month review findings was released on 20 December 2007.

The current review period of 29 September 2007 to 4 April 2008 has shown a slight increase in the total volume of 'child assault' events Police have attended: (288), compared with the initial three month review period (111). This is to be expected due to the current review period being six months in comparison to the initial three month review period.

This review found there was very minor impact on Police activity over this period, and  there were three "smacking" events and 12 "minor acts of physical discipline" events, all of these were determined to be inconsequential and therefore not in the public interest to prosecute, as per the Commissioner's Circular: 2007/03, Crimes (Substituted section 59) Amendment Act 2007 (Commissioner's Circular).

Police noted that six monthly reviews, leading up to the two year review, would serve as an effective risk management tool and enable Police to proactively respond to issues that may arise. This review is the second of four reviews that will be undertaken in the 24 month period following commencement of the Amendment. 

Crimes (Substituted section 59) Amendment Act 2007 - Three Month Review

Date Published: 
December 2007

On 22 June 2007, the Crimes (Substituted Section 59) Amendment Act (the Amendment) came into force, amending section 59 of the Crimes Act 1961. The purpose of the Amendment was "to make better provision for children to live in a state free from violence by abolishing the use of parental force for the purpose of correction".

As outlined in the Justice and Electoral Select Committee Report, "the Amendment removes the defence of using “reasonable force” against a child for the purpose of correction and clarifies that reasonable force may be used for other purposes such as protecting a child from harm, providing normal daily care, and preventing the child doing harm to others".1

Following the Amendment, New Zealand Police (Police) agreed to undertake a three month review (23 June to 28 September 2007) of the impact of the Amendment on Police activity. 

 

1. Justice and Electoral Select Committee, "Crimes (Abolition of Force as a Justification for Child Discipline) Amendment Bill (271-2) and petition 2005/25 of Barry Thomas and 20,750 others," [2006], 2. 

 

Crimes (Substituted Section 59) Amendment Act 2007 - 7th Review

Date Published: 
June 2010

This report details results from the 7th review of relevant Police activity since enactment of the Crimes (Substituted Section 59) Amendment Act 2007. This review covers the period 23 December 2009 to 22 June 2010.

Monitoring initially took place for a two year period since enactment on 22nd June, 2007. 

In December 2009, the Prime Minister invited Police to continue monitoring for a further three years. This followed the review into the policies and procedures used by the New Zealand Police and Child, Youth and Family. Police was also invited to include data on cases in which a parent or caregiver said the force used on the child was reasonable in the circumstances.

Briefing to the Incoming Minister 2002

Date Published: 
August 2002

The Briefing to the Incoming Minister 2002 outlines the key benefits, challenges and future areas of policing in New Zealand. The briefing is written by the Commissioner of Police and is presented to the incoming Minister of Police.

This briefing provides information about how New Zealand Police strives to achieve "Safer Communities Together" and put community safety and crime reduction centre-stage. It focuses on working together, policing priorities, emerging issues, legislation and policy, strategy and key priorities for 2002/03.

Briefing to the Incoming Minister 2008

Date Published: 
May 2013

The Briefing to the Incoming Minister 2008 outlines the key benefits, challenges and future areas of policing in New Zealand. The briefing is written by the Commissioner of Police and is presented to the incoming Minister of Police.

This briefing supplies information on the overview of New Zealand Police, strategy, governamnce, significant and immediate issues and Police partnerhsips. It sets out current Police strategy to achieve its vision of "Safer Communities Together" and alignment with other justice sector agencies in achieving overarching outcomes.

Commission of Inquiry Quarterly Summaries 2007

Date Published: 
December 2007

While the Commission of Inquiry into Police Conduct was released this year, the quarterly summary for December looks at two recommendations that will take effect in early 2008, and three recommendations that have been progressed significantly.

A major element of this progress will be the implementation of a Police Code of Conduct covering all staff, sworn and non-sworn. The new Code of Conduct is being introduced with revised Police Regulations and sets clear standards of behaviour expected of all Police employees, with breaches of these standards being dealt with under a new disciplinary system.

This summary also includes the progress on four of the recommendations made in regards to the Ministry of Justice and the Independent Police Conduct Authority. This falls underneath a key achievement, the passage of the Independent Police Conduct Authority Amendment Act 2007.

Briefing to the Incoming Minister 2012

Date Published: 
December 2011

The Briefing to the Incoming Minister 2012 outlines the key benefits, challenges and future areas of policing in New Zealand. The briefing is written by the Commissioner of Police and is presented to the incoming Minister of Police.

The briefing details an overview of New Zealand Police, the functions, legislation administered and role of Minister of Police along with an overview of what can be achieved and improved.

Commissioner of Police Expenditure

Date Published: 
March 2025

The Commissioner of Police discloses travel and credit card expenses annually, in line with the Te Kawa Mataaho Public Service Commission’s guidance, to provide transparency and accountability. To further align with the disclosure regime for mainstream public service departments, gifts and hospitality received by the Commissioner of Police are able to be viewed in the wider summary report published annually from the New Zealand Police gift and hospitality register.

The documents below detail the credit card transaction summaries for the Commissioner of Police from 1 July 2013 - 30 June 2015.

Entries from July 2015 onwards detail both credit card expenses and travel expenses.

Briefing to the Incoming Minister 2005

Date Published: 
December 2005

The Briefing to the Incoming Minister outlines the key benefits, challenges and future areas of policing in New Zealand. The briefing is written by the Commissioner of Police and is presented to the incoming Minister of Police.

This briefing links to the two priority themes contained in the Ministry of Justice sector briefing of Justice Sector Capability and Capacity, and Justice Sector Collaboration and Co-ordination. The briefing will not duplicate the more general police organisational information set out in the Statement of Intent, the Annual Report, and Police Strategic Plan to 2006.

Barriers to Recruiting a Diverse Workforce: Literature reviews

Date Published: 
May 2008

This report responds to a request by New Zealand Police to produce two literature reviews on the barriers to the recruitment of (i) women, and (ii) Māori, Pacific and ethnic groups. It has been prepared by the Crime and Justice Research Centre (CJRC) in collaboration with the Institute of Criminology.

The purpose of the literature reviews is to provide a fuller picture from the literature of recruitment issues both in New Zealand and internationally, and initiatives that have been implemented to address and/or mitigate these barriers. The reviews are to help New Zealand Police to identify good or innovative practice that might inform local approaches to recruitment.

In particular, NZ Police are interested in identifying: the most effective strategies to encourage people to join the Police; ways in which NZ Police can encourage growth in diversity without compromising standards; and the barriers to recruitment, and ways to remove them.