NZ: Government heeds caution over Family Court changes 

NZ: Government heeds caution over Family Court changes

From http://www.peterellis.org.nz/FamilyCourt/2004-0329_NZHerald_Government.htm

NZ Herald

March 29, 2004

Government heeds caution over Family Court changes


The Government says it will take into consideration doubts expressed by the country's top social worker over opening the Family Court to wider scrutiny.

Shannon Pakura, Child, Youth and Family's chief social worker, said the court dealt with vulnerable children.

She also questioned whether details of cases should be put in the public arena.

Ms Pakura said more openness would be a revelation for the public.

"You would learn the level of violence that adults inflict on one another. You would learn about what adults do to children," she told National Radio.

More openness would also highlight the number of people who used the court to focus on their own interests instead of children's, she said.

Associate Justice Minister David Benson-Pope said any changes to Family Court media coverage rules would take into account Child, Youth and Family's views.

"We would all have to be pretty cautious about any risk involved in making some of these very private and very painful cases more public than they need to be."

Principal Family Court Judge Peter Boshier has backed a Law Commission report recommending that the Family Court be opened to some media coverage.

The issue was highlighted when National MP Nick Smith was convicted of contempt last week after publicising a Family Court case involving a family in his Nelson electorate.

National Party spokeswoman Judith Collins said that while children should not be named, parents and others involved in Family Court cases should be able to speak out.

"In keeping Family Court proceedings secret, we allow individual injustices to go unnoticed and run the risk that the court will lose sight of the interests and values of the community it serves."

END