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Led by Te Herenga Waka Centre for Justice Innovation, this research project will examine when and how remote participation should be used in criminal court proceedings, with the goal of supporting fairer and more effective justice processes.

The use of remote participation in courts refers to where one or more participants take part in court proceedings using audio-visual link (AVL) or audio technology, rather than appearing in person. Since the Covid-19 pandemic, remote appearances have become more common in courts around the world, but there is a need for more evidence about the impact on vulnerable defendants, victims, and the integrity of court processes.

“There are many barriers to participation in the court and those who are neurodivergent or have disabilities often require special accommodations. We need to know whether remote participation is a help or a hindrance for these people and determine how we know who is who, and who needs what to enable effective participation,” says retired judge John Walker, a co-director of the Centre, and project co-lead.

“There are many benefits of remote participation by AVL but we hope our research will enable decisions to be made which balance these benefits against the right to fully participate in court” he said.

The project, which is supported through a Michael and Suzanne Borrin Foundation grant with additional Ministry of Justice funding, will build an evidence base through empirical research with court users and stakeholders, along with a review of international experiences.

Research from this project aims to ensure that technology enhances people’s experiences of court systems and proceedings. “We will focus initially on the effects of remote participation on defendants, especially those who are neurodivergent, have mental health needs, or have intellectual disabilities. We will also examine the experiences of victims, impacts on Māori and Pasifika court participants, and consider the impact on those in custody, including the management of transitions from custodial settings to courtrooms via AV link,” explains John Walker.

“We anticipate that the project findings will contribute to government and judicial decision-making regarding the scope of remote participation, such as the types of proceedings, rights protections, and procedures necessary now and in future,” says project co-lead, Professor Yvette Tinsley.

As an independent voice on justice issues, Te Herenga Waka’s Centre for Justice Innovation is well placed to lead this work. The Centre, based at Te Kauhanganui Tātai Ture—Faculty of Law at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington, brings together multidisciplinary expertise to support change in the way that justice is delivered in Aotearoa New Zealand.

The project will be led by the Centre’s co-directors, Professor Yvette Tinsley, John Walker, and conflict resolution practitioner, Everard Halbert (Rongowhakaata, Ngāti Tama, Ngāti Whiti), with support from colleagues across the Faculty of Law and wider university.

The Centre held a valuable forum in March, bringing together representatives from the disability and neurodivergence spaces, justice sector agencies, and the judiciary, for a conversation about the challenges and benefits of utilising remote participation for defendants facing barriers to participation.

“The forum raised issues that will guide us in the areas we need to concentrate on in our research”, says John Walker.

A summary report of this forum is now available on the Te Herenga Waka Centre for Justice Innovation website and is the first of a series of publications from the project.

“We are grateful for our funders’ support of this project, and for the Michael and Suzanne Borrin Foundation’s ongoing support of the Te Herenga Waka Centre for Justice Innovation’s work in addressing cross-cutting justice issues,” says Professor Tinsley.

Website: https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/cjinz

Direct Link to Remote Participation Project: https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/cjinz/research/remote-participation-criminal-proceedings

The Royal New Zealand Air Force’s (RNZAF) No. 3 Squadron has wrapped up a busy 20 days in Papua New Guinea (PNG), finishing with two days of trooping and air sniper training with PNG and Australian militaries.

The activities were carried out with the Papua New Guinea Defence Force’s (PNGDF), 1st Battalion Royal Pacific Islands Regiment and 1st Battalion Royal Australian Regiment but had to be delivered after some unexpected pressing tasks which the squadron was called on to carry out.

Two NH90 helicopters and crew arrived in Port Moresby on 15 April via HMNZS Canterbury to carry out a training programme with PNGDF and Australian Defence Force personnel, but at the request of the PNG government changed tack to deliver much-needed aid and essential supplies to areas damaged by Tropical Cyclone Maila.

They also transported New Zealand Defence Force Explosive Ordnance Disposal personnel and equipment to Bougainville to destroy two Second World War bombs following a request from the Autonomous Bougainville Government.

Air Component Commander, Air Commodore Andy Scott, said the deployment of the helicopters had been planned to coincide with Canterbury’s visit to Singapore for scheduled maintenance.

It meant they were in the right place at the right time to assist with the cyclone and bomb disposal tasks.

“We departed for Port Moresby to carry out training activities and ended up delivering real world support with our NH90s and a C-130J Hercules from No. 40 Squadron, which also moved aid and transported personnel and equipment to support these tasks.”

More than 50 tonnes of disaster relief supplies were delivered to East New Britain province including Palmalmal, Lamarain and Open Bay, and Bougainville including Buka, Arawa, Torokina and Bruin, and also to Milne Bay province, with the C-130J flying into suitable airfields and the NH90s doing last-mile deliveries where access was limited.

“Although the mission ended up being completely different to that originally planned, it highlighted the utility of our NH90 and C-130J fleets and the importance of being present in the region,” Air Commodore Scott said.

The Interislander ferry Kaitaki blackout event, when it lost power south of Wellington in January 2023, was a close call, and would have been traumatising for those onboard when the ferry lost power.

As soon as the MAYDAY call was relayed, Maritime NZ’s Rescue Coordination Centre (RCCNZ) – (which is the lead for mass rescue coordination and safety of life) – initiated the mass rescue plan as intended, and as acknowledged in TAIC’s report.  

Maritime NZ Director, Kirstie Hewlett says RCCNZ’s trained and qualified search and rescue officers quickly coordinated the movement of response assets (aircraft, boats and land support) and formed an Emergency Coordination Centre out at the RCCNZ with the relevant agencies involved.

“Once the ferry regained power, it maintained oversight until it safely came alongside at Wellington,” Ms Hewlett says.

While we are confident our RCCNZ, the frontline safety of life function, was mobilised as soon as possible, we accept that a Maritime Incident Response Team (MIRT), our back-office function stood up in large incidents, should have been formally declared at the outset of the incident consistent with our response policy.

“However, we believe the Commission’s finding that the lack of a formal MIRT declaration would have adversely affected our ability to respond promptly had the situation escalated, misses the pulling together of key facts,” Ms Hewlett says.  

While not formally declared, the necessary functions of a MIRT were in fact mobilised by Maritime NZ and in operation until the ferry was in Port.  The Duty Controller located to RCCNZ, as did necessary support people, and other key capabilities were supporting remotely. The National Coordination Centre (activated with the weather events on that weekend) was alerted to the event. The Minister’s Office was aware of the situation, and the Director was being kept updated on the events.

Given the fact the RCCNZ, which does not require a MIRT, was carrying out its role as intended, and the functions of a MIRT were informally in place, calling a MIRT at a late stage, once the engines engaged, would have made no difference in practice to this event.

Consistent with any incident, we carried out post incident debriefs to learn from the event and have proactively undertaken several improvement actions. This has included regular exercising of mobilisation at the beginning of an event, to ensure MIRTs are formally called consistent with our policies, along with a range of other improvements, which are outlined in the Commission’s report.

Maritime NZ agrees, or partially agrees, with the Commission’s recommendations relating to Maritime NZ, and, as acknowledged by TAIC the recommendations, they have already been completed or are well underway.

“We only partially accept the recommendation on strengthening salvage and rescue capability. While we can, and do, highlight what capabilities are needed for response in NZ, ensuring the resourcing of emergency towage response capability is not something in our power to make happen,” Ms Hewlett says.

More broadly, we investigated and prosecuted KiwiRail in relation to this event, to which KiwiRail plead guilty. We also undertook a deep dive audit on KiwiRail and its maintenance of critical componentry, alongside responding to an earlier TAIC safety insight into the incident in relation to the rubber joints.

Note:

Compliance action undertaken in relation to this incident:

Maritime NZ investigated and prosecuted KiwiRail in relation to this event, to which KiwiRail plead guilty: https://www.maritimenz.govt.nz/news-landing-page/2024/september/kiwirail-sentenced-for-interislander-ferry-kaitaki-s-2023-loss-of-propulsion-south-of-wellington/

We also undertook a deep dive audit on Kiwi Rail and its maintenance of critical componentry. Alongside responding to an earlier TAIC safety insight into incident. Here is a safety update we put out about it in September 2023:

https://www.maritimenz.govt.nz/commercial-operators/all-commercial-operators/safety-updates/september-2023-rubber-expansion-joints/

A new white paper released today by Skills Group is urging secondary schools, tertiary providers, and employers to work more closely together to build and deliver pathways from school to employment and further education.

Titled Multiple Pathways to Success, the white paper argues that while university remains a clear and well-supported route, too many young people are not being provided with clear or structured pathways to other post-school destinations.

“Despite every student needing to make a successful transition to further education and employment, the system is still overly focused on university entrance as a goal. At the same time, structured tertiary-based opportunities or work experience programmes are only offered to a small minority,” says Skills Group Chief Executive Officer Rosanne Graham.

“Work experience programmes like Gateway, and tertiary experience programmes like Trades Academies are proven to work. Evidence shows that they improve employment outcomes and earnings. However, they have limited student places and are treated as add-ons, rather than as a normal part of senior secondary education. As a result, most students never gain access to them.” Rosanne says.

Each year, more than 60,000 young people leave school. While around 30 percent move directly into degree-level study, the majority take other directions including employment and vocational training, often without a clear or structured transition.

The white paper highlights the scale of the challenge:

• 69 percent of school leavers do not pursue degree level study and have no equivalently structured pathway.
• 84 percent of senior students have no access to structured vocational pathway programmes such as Gateway and Trades Academies
• New Zealand produces twice as many young people not in employment, education or training (NEET) as it does apprentices directly from school.

At the same time, evidence shows that students who participate in Gateway or Trades Academies are more likely to be employed after leaving school, highlighting the impact of early exposure to real-world and tertiary learning opportunities.

The white paper highlights that:

• Work-integrated and vocational learning opportunities are fragmented across multiple schemes, each with different rules and limited capacity.
• Schools face financial and operational barriers to expanding these options.
• There are pockets of strong practice, but they are not consistent or well-supported by existing funding and operational policy.

“At the moment, funding is largely tied to the time young people are inside the school gate. This can lead to too many disengaged students making it harder for schools to support real-world or tertiary learning at scale,” Rosanne says.

“Supporting young people on a productive and successful pathway to their next step beyond school is the core purpose of the final years of schooling. However, schools cannot do that alone and we shouldn't expect them to. Tertiary providers, and employers need to join with secondary educators at the curriculum design table, working in partnership to build and deliver the multiple pathways system that our young people and our economy need.”

The white paper also highlights broader economic and social impacts of the current system, including high levels of skills mismatch, inefficient pathways and transitions into work, and persistent inequities in outcomes for Māori and Pasifika learners.

It calls for a fundamental shift in how senior secondary education operates, including:

Moving from the 'scheme-based' model of alternative pathways to a universal dual enrolment entitlement, allowing any student over the age of 16 to combine their school learning with tertiary or workplace-based education and training.
Ensuring funding enables learners to achieve across school, tertiary, and employment settings, without penalising schools for achievement occurring outside the school.
Embedding partnerships between schools, employers, and tertiary providers into both the design and delivery of senior secondary education.

The release of Multiple Pathways to Success comes as the Government progresses reforms to the secondary school curriculum and replaces the NCEA qualifications. Recent sector work, including the Working Knowledge research report by the New Zealand Initiative, highlights the opportunity to strengthen how curriculum and qualifications support a wider range of post-school options.

“The introduction of new industry-led subjects could be a key vehicle for more proactively delivering vocational options and pathways through partnerships between secondary schools, tertiary providers and employers.”

Skills Group believes this is a critical opportunity but only if system design is addressed alongside those changes.

“These are young people on the cusp of the rest of their lives,” Rosanne says. “That means achieving University Entrance cannot be the only goal of 13 years of school – the new senior curriculum needs to genuinely recognise and deliver multiple pathways.

“If we focus only on changing subjects and qualifications, without fixing how the system supports students to access real-world learning and experience, we risk repeating the mistakes of the past,” Rosanne says.

“This is about making all post-school options visible, accessible, and achievable for every student.”

Link to white paper: https://skills-group.org/news/multiple-pathways-to-success/

About Skills Group
Skills Group is New Zealand's largest private training provider and a charitable trust, delivering hands-on, real-world education to over 23,000 learners across New Zealand and internationally. From school leavers to CEOs, we support lifelong learning through practical, industry-aligned programmes that grow careers, businesses, and communities.

Our purpose is rooted in our charitable mission: advancing vocational education for the benefit of Aotearoa New Zealand. We exist to grow people, not profits. Surpluses are reinvested in teaching quality, campus facilities, learner and employer support, and the capability of the industries we serve. We deliver high-quality, future-ready training that equips New Zealanders to thrive in their careers and contribute meaningfully to their communities.

As a trusted partner to government, employers, and educators, Skills Group shapes New Zealand's workforce and drives economic growth. Our programmes are built with industry, for industry ensuring learners gain skills that are relevant, future-focused, and immediately applicable. Whether training the next generation of electricians, upskilling healthcare workers, or supporting leadership development, we are committed to maximising human potential through lifelong learning.