Labour leader David Cunliffe promoted his new economic policy to a packed Hamilton hall on Wednesday night before being grilled on his plans to reform the justice system.
More than 100 people spilled out of the Migrant Resource Centre to hear Cunliffe's proposal to move to an inquisitorial system as opposed to the adversarial system currently in place, meaning the accused in a rape trial would ultimately have to prove consent.
"At the moment the system is not okay. Only about one per cent of rape cases result in a conviction. That's way too low. What we have committed to is a reform of the justice system to make it easier and better for the victims of sexual violence and sex crimes to come forward," he said.
Cunliffe said the proposed law change is not a new idea.
"We've said that it's primarily a matter for the law commission to advise on. We got them to start some work on this under the previous Labour government. Simon Power who was Minister of Justice carried that work on, but Judith Collins stopped it. But we are going to start it again," he said.