Justice Minister Andrew Little was in Tauranga yesterday to make the announcement that the city is to get a new state-of-the-art courthouse. Photo / George Novak
Justice Minister Andrew Little was in Tauranga yesterday to make the announcement that the city is to get a new state-of-the-art courthouse. Photo / George Novak
Justice Minister Andrew Little was in Tauranga to bring long-awaited news. Sandra Conchie and Samantha Motion report.
Pleas for a new Tauranga courthouse, including High Court jury trial facilities, have been answered with a $100 million Government investment.
Yesterday Justice Minister Andrew Little announced the rebuild project would deliver a "courthouse of the future".
The city's leaky, toxic mould infested 54-year-old court complex - Cameron House and McLean House - would be pulled down and rebuilt, most likely on the same site.
McLean House in McLean St is one of the two court buildings in Tauranga. Photo/ George Novak
The consultation, design and construction process for the new building could take up to five years and it was expected to be operational in mid-2025.
Little said he hoped it could be completed sooner and provide a blueprint for other courthouses.
"The end result will be a prototype for other courthouse redevelopments for the next 50 to 100 years. This is an opportunity to rethink the whole idea of what a courthouse in the 21st century should do."
The state-of-the-art new court precinct would be designed in partnership with Tauranga Moana iwi, judiciary, the legal profession, court staff and other court users, he said.
Tauranga's main courthouse building on Cameron Rd. Photo / File
Little said he had been aware of the Tauranga courthouse issues for some time, not only from various reports he read but also had seen them first-hand during a visit last year.
"It was pretty apparent to me that Tauranga courthouse was at the top of the priority list for our courthouses that needed to be rebuilt," he told the Bay of Plenty Times.
Crown and defence lawyers, police and a High Court judge had expressed concerns which featured in a number of articles in the Bay of Plenty Times over the past two years.
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Tauranga criminal barrister Tony Rickard-Simms said it was "fantastic" news.
Rickard-Simms said the announcement was "long overdue" and he hoped a drug court would be part of the new court precinct facilities, and the rebuild did not take five years.
David Bates, also a senior Tauranga criminal barrister, agreed, and said a new courthouse for Tauranga "couldn't come soon enough".
Tauranga senior barrister Tony Balme earlier described the state of Tauranga's court buildings due to a lack of investment by successive governments as "disastrous".
"It's very exciting and encouraging to see our new courthouse is going to be cutting edge design and users will be consulted, not a just merely shown a bunch of design options."
Balme said he would like to see the new courthouse built on the same site, because of its central location and closeness to a lot of other essential services.
Tauranga Crown Solicitor Anna Pollett also welcomed the news.
"It will provide an opportunity to get things right for all those involved in the criminal justice system including victims and their support people.
"The inclusion of a High Court Criminal Registry in Tauranga is also pleasing. This will alleviate the need for victims and witnesses to travel to Rotorua and Hamilton for trial, something that adds a great deal of stress and anxiety to the process presently.
"Given the numerous issues with the facilities currently, it would be my hope for the timeframes to be expedited to ensure there are no delays in the rebuild," Pollett said.
Ngāi Tukairangi elder Huikakahu Kawe said it was a "positive" announcement for the whole Tauranga Moana community.
"As Minister Little said Tauranga is the fifth largest city in New Zealand, and for a city of this size to have court facilities of this kind is just shameful," he said.
"It is also not conducive for the wairua (spirit) of our Maori clients," he said.
Kawe said he was great to see that tangata whenua would have a say in the design of the new courthouse.
Ngāi Te Rangi chief executive Paora Stanley said he viewed the announcement as another sign of the justice system moving to "humanise itself".
"I really like that."
Stanley said tangata whenua would discuss how to meaningfully engage with the process.
Western Bay of Plenty police area commander Inspector Clifford Paxton said police supported the victim-centric approach being used for the development.
"In particular, the addition of a High Court in Tauranga will have profound benefits for victims," Paxton said.
Tauranga Moana Restorative Justice Trust manager Vanessa Moodie said she was delighted by Little's announcement.
"We support Mr Little and the bold promises being made, wholeheartedly. This is truly a once in a generation opportunity to see safer, and more just, communities throughout New Zealand," she said.
Tauranga mayor Tenby Powell said news of investment in the court facilities was "fantastic" and "desperately needed".
Powell said it was good to hear the Minister say he would aim to have the project done in less than the five-year projected timeframe.
