In this second of a two-part series of articles, we highlight how the committees have helped effect change in a way that supports both the legal profession and the public interest.
Property Disputes Committee
The TLANZ Property Disputes Committee has continued its important work in 2025 by providing a trusted, accessible forum for resolving commercial lease and property-related disputes. Under the leadership of new convenor Todd Whitcombe, the committee works to ensure independent, timely and transparent decisions.
A key priority this year is the work to finalise the Property Disputes Rulings Manual. This project aims to consolidate the committee’s body of work into a practical, user-friendly guide that will enhance consistency and assist both current and future members in the decision-making process. The manual is on track for finalisation in July and publication in August 2025. Alongside this work, the committee has completed an update of its forms and guidelines and these will be introduced at the same time as the launch of the rulings manual.
The Property Disputes Committee remains an essential service to the profession, offering a low-cost, expert-led alternative to litigation.
Employment Law Committee
The Employment Law Committee has had a particularly active term, contributing submissions on multiple legislative proposals with wide-reaching implications for New Zealand’s workforce and employment relations framework. Key among these were:
- Submission on the Employment Relations (Termination of Employment by Agreement) Amendment Bill, drawing comparative insights from the UK’s “without prejudice” regime and advocating for clarity around admissibility rules and procedural safeguards for employees.
- Submission on the Employment Relations (Pay Deductions for Partial Strikes) Amendment Bill, in which the committee underscored the importance of proportionality, alignment with International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions and the preservation of meaningful industrial action rights.
The committee also provided detailed feedback on the Regulatory Standards Bill, raising concerns around potential impacts on judicial discretion, the risk of increased litigation due to the introduction of a “principles-based” regulatory override and the importance of retaining flexibility in employment dispute resolution processes.
In addition to its law reform work, the committee has maintained relationships with key sector stakeholders, including the Employment Court, Employment Relations Authority (ERA), mediators and unions. Planning is underway for this year’s Burning Issues Employment Law Conference and the annual Employment Law Dinner.
AML & CFT Committee
The AML & CFT Committee has played a pivotal role over recent months in shaping regulatory dialogue and advocating for the legal profession amid evolving anti-money laundering reforms. A key focus was the committee’s detailed submission to the Ministry of Justice on the proposed AML/CFT Industry Levy. The submission provided a robust critique of the proposed funding model, particularly its lack of proportionality and the risk of imposing unsustainable costs on low-risk legal practices.
In May, the committee also met with representatives from the Department of Internal Affairs to discuss broader issues, including compliance burdens, supervisory engagement and the upcoming 2025 statutory review of the AML/CFT Act. These efforts reflect the committee’s ongoing commitment to ensuring that regulatory obligations remain fair, proportionate and operationally viable for legal professionals.
Parole and Prisoners’ Rights Committee
The Parole and Prisoners’ Rights Committee has continued its strong advocacy for the rights and wellbeing of those in detention, contributing meaningfully to law reform and engagement with the Department of Corrections. The committee made a detailed submission to the Justice Committee on the Sentencing (Reform) Amendment Bill, emphasising the need to preserve judicial discretion and flexibility in sentencing, grounded in established case law such as Zhang and Mako.
It also provided feedback on the department’s consultation regarding the Prisoners of Extreme Risk Unit (PERU), raising serious concerns about the regime’s proportionality, potential for psychological harm and lack of rehabilitative opportunities. These discussions informed broader committee work on ensuring that detention policies – particularly those applied to high-risk individuals – remain compliant with both domestic legal standards and international human rights obligations.
Ongoing dialogue with Corrections has also addressed broader systemic issues, including access to rehabilitative programs and culturally appropriate reintegration pathways. Particular attention has been paid to women’s incarceration, including concerns raised around access to Auckland-based placements that enable proximity to whānau and community supports. The committee also discussed the opening of the new Nikau unit at Waikeria Women’s Prison and broader concerns about infrastructure alignment with prisoner wellbeing.
Immigration and Refugee Law Committee
The Immigration and Refugee Law Committee has been particularly active in engaging with Immigration New Zealand (INZ), the Immigration and Protection Tribunal (IPT) and Parliament on critical policy and operational issues. Recent work includes:
- A formal letter to the Minister of Immigration regarding proposed changes to Official Information Act responses by INZ, raising concerns about reduced transparency, access to decision-makers and the chilling effect on legal accountability.
- A response to the Review of Occupation Classification consultation, which focused on the role of immigration lawyers in workforce planning, the inadequacy of current ANZSCO classifications, and implications for visa policy.
- Participation in IRG and RSU stakeholder meetings, with committee members providing updates on residence visa backlogs, parent category visa processing and operational issues arising from inconsistent communications from INZ.
The committee is also planning an immigration forum alongside the Family Law Committee in response to increasing immigration enforcement activity and the annual Immigration Dinner with Minister Erica Stanford which will be hosted on 9 July 2025.
Family Law Committee
Over the past six months, the Family Law Committee has been actively involved in legislative consultation and system modernisation efforts affecting the Family Court. Its work has spanned procedural reform, access to justice and practical improvements for court users and practitioners alike.
A significant area of focus has been the committee’s response to the exposure draft of Family Court Rule changes to enable Te Au Reka, the Ministry of Justice’s digital case management system. The committee, working in tandem with the Technology and Law Committee, supported the intent behind the digital transformation but raised critical concerns about implementation. In particular, it stressed the need for:
- Clear exemption pathways for legal practitioners in cases of system outages or urgent matters;
- Written consent requirements for digital service to avoid disputes;
- Robust security and access controls, especially regarding sensitive psychological and medical reports;
- Effective notification protocols for filings to ensure fairness and prevent procedural breaches; and
- Flexible document retention rules that reflect the realities of family proceedings.
The committee also made a detailed submission on the Evidence (Giving Evidence of Family Violence) Amendment Bill, endorsing its protective intent while urging greater clarity around consistency of application, especially for vulnerable parties in highly sensitive family contexts. Members drew attention to operational concerns across registries and advocated for more tailored responses that reflect the dynamics of family law cases involving children.
Technology and Law Committee
The Technology and Law Committee continues to lead on emerging digital and legal issues, with a strong focus on privacy, AI ethics and digital justice infrastructure. Recent activities include:
- Privacy law reform: The committee made detailed submissions on the Privacy Amendment Bill (IPP3A), advocating for enforceable rights to data access, stronger breach notification duties and alignment with international best practices such as the GDPR. It also submitted to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner on the proposed IPP3A Guidelines, offering practical recommendations to clarify decision-making under Principle 3A of the Privacy Act 2020.
- Biometrics code: The committee engaged with the OPC’s consultation on a Biometrics Code, cautioning against the unregulated use of facial recognition and biometric verification in justice sector technologies.
- Cybercrime law reform: A submission was lodged on the Budapest Convention and Related Matters Legislation Amendment Bill, which proposes significant changes to the Crimes Act 1961 and Search and Surveillance Act 2012 to support cross-border cooperation on cybercrime.
- Digital transformation of the courts: Alongside the Family Law Committee, the Technology & Law Committee contributed submissions on proposed rule changes to enable the rollout of Te Au Reka, a new digital case management platform for the Family Court. The committee emphasised access to justice, data security, document authentication and service reliability in digital environments.
Through these efforts, the committee continues to be a thought leader in shaping the responsible use of technology in the legal profession.
NextGen Lawyers Committee
The NextGen Lawyers Committee has been busy and productive, focusing on student engagement, law reform awareness and networking initiatives for early-career lawyers. The committee organised two successful panel events at the University of Auckland: one highlighting alternative legal careers and another centred on criminal and in-house practice. Committee members also contributed to TLANZ submissions, including the Treaty Principles Bill and the proposed merger of the University of Auckland’s Law and Business Schools.
The committee continues to build connections with university law clubs, recently launching a series of proposed tutorials on exam strategy and preparing to expand outreach efforts to other campuses. Members are also developing promotional videos and refreshed digital materials to boost visibility.
In addition to supporting LawNews content and CPD initiatives, the committee has helped plan upcoming events such as the “Inside the Inhouse Experience” panels in Auckland and Wellington and is planning an end-of-the-year dinner.
Read Part 1 of the TLANZ Committee Update 2025 here
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