Summary of results of 2006-2007 reprints survey

Background

The PCO reprinting policy provides that a reprinting programme will be established each year, in consultation with key users of legislation. These are the results of the third annual survey conducted by the PCO.

The survey

The 2006–2007 Reprints Survey, which closed on Friday 14 July 2006, was publicised on the PCO website and could be completed on-line, or printed and mailed or faxed. The survey was publicised in LawTalk and on the Government web portal, on the electronic noticeboard for New Zealand librarians (NZ-libs list), and through emails sent to approximately 300 people who had expressed an interest in reprints. Letters were also sent to the various heads of bench of the judiciary.

Responses

56 responses were received: 32 via the on-line form, 12 by post, 8 by email, and 4 by fax. The majority of responses were completed on behalf of an organisation or agency, and many were submitted by solicitors and librarians. The breakdown of respondents was: 31 from government departments; 7 from the judiciary; 6 from lawyers/law firms; 6 from the general public; 3 from libraries; 1 from a legal organisation; 1 from publishers/booksellers; and 1 from an academic institution.

Additional comments

A number of respondents took the opportunity to provide more general suggestions or comments. PCO will consider all comments and assess whether individual user needs can be met.

Results

What would users like reprinted?
91 Acts and 12 Statutory Regulations were proposed for reprinting (2005/2006 survey: 93 Acts and (7 regulations)). The Acts that received the most requested were the Summary Proceedings Act 1957 and the Land Transport Act 1998, both of which were reprinted in 2005. As in previous surveys, fewer requests for reprinting Statutory Regulations were received, but 2 requests were received for each of the following: the District Courts Rules 1992, the Immigration Regulations 1999, and the Summary Proceedings Regulations 1958.

Why would users like these particular titles reprinted?
The responses fell into 4 main categories:

• regular use by the respondents (numbers of users were provided in some cases)
• the number of amendments
• the significance of amendments
• usability and clarity (annotations to existing reprints have reached capacity).

How often would users like individual titles reprinted?
Ideally respondents would like reprints to be produced after each significant amendment. As far as electronic versions of legislation are concerned, this is one of the objectives of the PAL Project, which is intended to make available free to the public a comprehensive electronic database of current New Zealand legislation in an up-to-date form. In the meantime, however, most respondents indicated that reprinting after significant amendment or after a number of amendments is an appropriate and practical compromise. A number of respondents were more precise and suggested reprinting particular legislation after certain Bills have been passed.

2006-2007 reprinting programme

The legislation included in the 2006-2007 reprinting programme has been selected according to the following criteria:

• recommendations received in the 2006 reprints survey
• recommendations received since the February 2006 review of the reprinting programme
• the number of amendments since the last reprint (if reprinted)
• the significance of any amendments since the last reprint (if reprinted)
• any significant amending legislation being drafted by PCO
• any amending legislation on the Legislation Programme
• inclusion in the list of top 200 legislation sellers for the last 12 months to 30 June 2006
• inclusion in the list of top 200 legislation referrals from www.govt.nz in 2005.

Officialisation

Not all respondents chose to address our question about whether proposed titles for reprinting should also be a priority for our officialisation programme. However, of the 31respondents who did consider this future aspect of the Reprints Unit's work, 28 respondents stated that the legislation that they proposed for reprinting should be a priority for officialisation, and also took the trouble to review each title on a case by case basis. A list of legislation to be prioritised for officialisation will be prepared and published as progress is made on the 2006–2007 Reprints Programme and on the PAL Project.