PCO news
2010-2011 reprints programme released
23 August 2010
The 2010-2011 reprints programme has been established, based on results of the annual reprints survey and in accordance with the PCO's reprinting policy.
2010-2011 reprints programme: Reprints scheduled »
Summary of results of 2010 reprints survey »
Legislation Bill: submissions invited
August 2010
The Legislation Bill, introduced to the House of Representatives on 25 June 2010, received its First Reading on 3 August.
Submissions on the Bill are invited from the public. Submissions can be made online via the Parliament website. The closing date for submissions is Thursday 23 September 2010.
PCO initiating programme to digitise all historical Acts
19 March 2010
The PCO is starting a programme to digitise historical New Zealand Acts, from 1841 to 2007. The aim is to provide free online access to all New Zealand Acts in their original form (as enacted), whether or not they have subsequently been repealed. The format will be searchable PDFs. This will make legislation available that in many cases is currently only held in printed volumes in a limited number of libraries around the country.
This collection of historical Acts will supplement that already available on the New Zealand Legislation website. That website provides Acts currently in force (the earliest of which dates back to 1275) together with Acts that have ben repealed since the site went live 2 1/2 years ago. Some earlier legislation is available online from other sources, either free of charge or commercially. But the bulk of historical New Zealand Acts are not available online. This gap in collections of digital legislation affects the legal profession, researchers, and anyone who needs to know what the law was when it was first enacted.
Table of legislation waiting to be brought into force by Order in Council (as at 1 July 2009)
This table was presented to the House of Representatives on 10 February 2010. View the table »
New—table of 2009 Statutory Regulations
9 February 2010
Statutory Regulations are made under the authority of empowering legislation. A table listing the Acts or other authorities under which Statutory Regulations were made in 2009, and the 2009 Statutory Regulations, is now available. View the table »
Government response to Law Commission reports presented
The government's response to the Law Commission reports "Presentation of New Zealand Statute Law" and "Review of the Statutes Drafting and Compilation Act 1920" (a review of the Act that established the Parliamentary Counsel Office) was presented to the House of Representatives on 20 November 2009.
Government Response to Reports of the Law Commission: Presentation of New Zealand Statute Law and Review of the Statutes Drafting and Compilation Act 1920 »
PDF version (25KB)
Statutes Drafting and Compilation Act 1920 »
District Courts Rules 2009 forms
11 September 2009
The Ministry of Justice has produced forms that are designed for practical use in the District Courts and that correspond to those prescribed in the District Courts Rules 2009. The forms apply to the new claims process introduced by the new rules.
Until the District Courts Rules 2009 come into force on 1 November 2009, these user-friendly forms are provided on the PCO website. After that date, the Ministry of Justice expects that they will be available from a Ministry website.
Legislation Advisory Committee seminar
On 30 September 2009, the Legislation Advisory Committee held a seminar: "From policy to legislation: developing legislation, and legislation within the parliamentary process".
Shattering statutes now online
30 June 2009
The "shattering statutes", the 1888 to 1894 annual volumes of Acts that were disintegrating, are now available in PDF format on the Knowledge Basket website. Read more »
Law Commission publishes report on Statutes Drafting and Compilation Act 1920
4 June 2009
The Law Commission has published its report Review of the Statutes Drafting and Compilation Act 1920. The Statutes Drafting and Compilation Act 1920 can be found here.
PCO publishes facsimile printed editions of 1888 to 1894 Acts
24 May 2009
The PCO has republished damaged volumes of statutes for 1888 to 1894—the "shattering statutes". Read more »
