Ministry of Justice

After the signing of Te Tiriti o Waitangi in 1840 a British colonial government was established in Aotearoa New Zealand under the directorship of the Governor. In 1853 the first democratic elections were held leading to the establishment of 'responsible government' in 1856. "A Minister of Justice was appointed in 1870. This was followed in 1872 by the creation of the Department of Justice.

In 1995, the Department of Justice was split into three parts – a Ministry of Justice would deal with policy matters, while the practical administration of the court system and the prison system would be given their own departments. This resulted in the creation of two new ministerial portfolios – Minister of Court and Minister of Corrections. The former has since been absorbed back into the Justice portfolio, but the latter is still independent."

See also:

• The Political history of New Zealand (wikipedia)
• The Minister of Justice of New Zealand (wikipedia)
• The Ministry of Justice (New Zealand government)