Family court system needs sweeping changes, review says

From Morning Report, 6:10 am on 17 June 2019

A review of the family court system is calling for sweeping changes.

The Independent Panel's review of the 2014 family justice system reforms, acknowledges the family justice sector is in trouble and has made 70 recommendations.

It found no evidence that families or children are better off as a result of the changes and the delays have increased.

The review panel hopes by reinstating legal aid and lawyers it will reduce the number of urgent, that is without notice, applications which have skyrocketed since 2014.

It's also recommending some Māori Land Court judges also sit on the Family Court to make it more culturally inclusive.

Catherine Hutton sat down with the acting principal family court judge David Smith and started by asking him what he thought of the idea.