Call for Northland to get a public defence office

The Whangarei District Court

Legal aid applications should be filed by independent court officials - not lawyers who benefit from the system, a Whangarei barrister says.

David Sayes believes legal aid applications needed to be filled out by someone independent, such as Ministry of Justice staff.

"I don't think it's right that those who benefit from legal aid are also responsible for the filling out of applications, and indeed, making judgment calls as to whether someone requires legal aid," he said.

Mr Sayes said the time had come for Northland to have a public defence office, as he believed it would be more cost effective than the current legal aid system.

"You could probably have six lawyers, and six public defenders who could deal with all guilty pleas, sentencings and defended hearings," Mr Sayes added.

The Whangarei District Court had an increase in criminal legal aid applications from 2012 to 2013, but a significant decrease to 2014.

For the year ending June 30, there were 1310 in 2012, 1453 in 2013 and 1099 in 2014.

The figures included cases that were initially approved but later withdrawn.