Volunteer JPs push for pay as numbers dwindle

By JO-MARIE BROWN

Justices of the peace say the country's busiest court system may suffer a meltdown unless the Government starts paying them for presiding over preliminary hearings.

The role of JPs is under review but the Associate Minister of Justice responsible for them, Paul Swain, has ruled out paying them.

About 500 of the 8000 JPs preside over traffic matters, remands and preliminary hearings instead of judges.

The president of the Auckland JPs Association, Allan Spence, says that without payment, very few JPs can afford to take time off work to do the job.

"We're already having difficulty staffing the Manukau court because we can't get enough people to literally sit out there.

"Within three to five years, there will be a major crisis because my older [JPs] will have dropped off the top end and the younger ones just aren't coming on."

Most JPs sitting in courts are white, elderly males and the Government is pushing for greater gender and ethnic diversity.

But Mr Swain says paying JPs to achieve that balance is not the answer.

"The fact is no Government could ever afford to pay JPs, nor does a JP expect it.

"The value of the JP service is that it's voluntary."

The present crop of JPs has been frequently criticised this year and there have been calls for their replacement by people with more legal training.

Mr Swain says he does not intend to banish JPs from the courtroom but says more training is required.

Legislation will be introduced this year which may incorporate "warrant of fitness" style training to ensure that JPs are up to scratch.

"At the moment it's voluntary," says Mr Swain, "and some people for a number of reasons don't take up the offer of training - some because of geographical problems, others may not feel they need it."

Mr Spence says all JPs sitting in court recognise the need to introduce performance standards, assessments and accountability.

However, the Government will find itself with very few JPs to take up training if the issue of pay is not resolved.

"JPs are part of the judicial ladder and we are the bottom rung, but without us all the other steps on the ladder just don't work," Mr Spence says.

"We are saying that in this modern age, they can't just treat us like volunteers any more."