Act Party: Open Youth Court to public scrutiny

ACT Party Leader Jamie Whyte. Photo / Dean Purcell

Act Party leader Dr Jamie Whyte said the party wants to see Youth Court and Family Court open to public scrutiny.

Dr Whyte said in a policy announcement today that there should be a right to access Youth Court and Family Court records.

Media should be able to report on cases through the Youth Court and Family Court in a similar way they can report on District Court proceedings, he said.

"The Act Party is campaigning to end secret courts" Dr Whyte said.

"There is no way of analysing and understanding what is going on in the family court.

"There are disturbing stories that evidence in Family Court cases is unreliable."

Dr Whyte said the "secrecy" of the Youth Court was the biggest problem in the youth justice system.

"It is a wholly unjustified violation of the principle of open justice."

The party supported names and identifying details of parties remaining suppressed, Dr Whyte said.

Act Party policy on opening up Youth Court and Family Court

- Publish all judgments of the Youth Court and Family Court

- Media should be able to attend and report on proceedings in the youth and family courts

- A general right to access formal court records in the youth and family courts.

- The names of judges, lawyers, government witnesses, expert witnesses and the like should always be public.

- The names or identifying details of parties would remain suppressed.