The Ministry of Justice employs a highly-paid coterie of court managers and registrars to run the courts.

They are aided in varying degrees of efficiency and willingness by legions of other not-so-highly-paid public servants.

So ponder this…

Why is there a need for a so-called “stakeholders” committee to even exist at the Auckland High Court?

Included among these “stakeholders” – who apparently meet every three months - include two High Court judges, a senior Crown prosecutor, a detective superintendent of police, a representative from the Auckland district law society, someone from Chubb Security, a penal institutions monitor, representatives from the New Zealand bar association and the criminal bar association, someone from the Serious Fraud Office, a “higher courts” senior advisor, the High Court manager and civil case flow manager.

Have these gatherings of “stakeholders” added to or improved in any way the efficient running of the High Court or advanced its commitment to the concept of open justice?

If the answer is Yes then where’s the need for highly-paid managers?

Feedback on this story to jockandserson@ihug.co.nz    Posted June 30, 2006