{"id":395400,"date":"2026-04-24T12:25:10","date_gmt":"2026-04-24T12:25:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/395400\/"},"modified":"2026-04-24T12:25:10","modified_gmt":"2026-04-24T12:25:10","slug":"auckland-district-court-staff-told-to-move-to-ellerslie-in-cost-cutting-move","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/395400\/","title":{"rendered":"Auckland District Court staff told to move to Ellerslie in \u2018cost-cutting\u2019 move"},"content":{"rendered":"\u201cThis is a proposal driven by cost-cutting, not by any genuine plan to improve services for New Zealanders who use these tribunals,\u201d PSA organiser Duane Leo told the Herald. <\/p>\n
\u201cOur members at Auckland District Court have deep specialist knowledge built up over years.<\/p>\n
\u201cShifting them to Ellerslie and away from the court means losing direct access to judges, to physical files, and to the people who walk through the door needing help.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said a suggested \u201cconsultation period\u201d for staff was shambolic.<\/p>\n
\u201cStaff have been given just three weeks to respond to a 40-page restructure proposal that fundamentally changes how these tribunals operate. That is not genuine consultation.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe ministry\u2019s own digital systems are years away from being ready. Moving staff away from physical files before digitisation is complete is a recipe for delays, errors and worse outcomes for the public.\u201d<\/p>\n
Leo said elderly and vulnerable court users relied on face-to-face specialist help at the counter and would be left without it if the proposal went ahead.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat is not an improvement in service delivery,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWorkers are also facing longer commutes with no permanent travel support offered. The ministry has not even provided basic information about parking or disability access at the new site.\u201d<\/p>\n
The proposal was being pushed without any respect for the professionals or consideration for access to justice, he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cOnce again, we see a government agency cutting corners to meet budget targets set by the Government, with no proper thought given to the impact on the people who rely on these services.\u201d<\/p>\n
A proposal suggested the \u201cincumbents\u201d whose jobs were disestablished would be reassigned to new national registry officer positions.<\/p>\n
Those positions would report to a proposed \u201cteam manager centralised services (Auckland)\u201d position within the Central Registry Services.<\/p>\n
The T\u0101maki Makaurau M\u0101ori Land Court already exists at Ellerslie. It is 100m from the train station.<\/p>\n
Former Criminal Bar Association president Gary Gotlieb said if the Ellerslie site had good parking and other facilities, then as \u201cDevil\u2019s advocate\u201d he could understand why a case for change was being made.<\/p>\n
A proposal to move Auckland District Court years ago was abandoned after backlash from the legal profession, he said.<\/p>\n
Ministry of Justice chief operating officer Carl Crafar said many Disputes Tribunal and Tenancy Tribunal cases were managed remotely.<\/p>\n
\u201cEllerslie has been identified as a suitable tribunal location as it is equipped to support national, digitally-enabled services, and meets the ministry\u2019s accessibility standards,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe site has spacious office accommodation, including meeting room spaces for training, coaching and team meetings.\u201d<\/p>\n
Crafar said the proposal aimed to deliver more nationally consistent services and improved workflow, and to build greater resilience, enabling demand peaks to be managed better. <\/p>\n
\u201cWhile the proposed change could create some cost savings, these are not the driver for the change.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said referees and not judges oversaw tribunal hearings.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Tenancy Tribunal already operates using a digital case management system, while the Disputes Tribunal is currently transitioning to electronic case management.\u201d<\/p>\n
Crafar said those moves were being carefully managed to ensure current service levels were maintained before a fully digital system. <\/p>\n
\u201cA change in office location within what is classified as the same local area is proposed for 21 staff.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said if the proposal went ahead, support would be provided in line with the terms and conditions outlined in the collective employment agreement as negotiated with the PSA.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe scale and complexity of the proposal was considered when settling on a three\u2011week consultation period,\u201c he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI encourage staff to provide feedback on the proposal.\u201d<\/p>\n
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