Industrial action is causing major disruption in the courts. Yesterday a brawl broke out at the Christchurch District Court and the Law Society blamed that on the dispute between court staff and the Justice Ministry. The society says the violence wouldn't have happened if the defendant had appeared by video link, but that wasn't possible because of the industrial action. The defendant's lawyer Liz Bulger says it was a dangerous situation. On Wednesday the chief district court judge said the dispute between court staff and the Justice Ministry was raising the risk of miscarriages of justice, and potentially stripping defendants of their legal rights. The Ministry of Justice said no one was available to talk to Morning Report on Friday. Glenn Barclay is the national secretary of the Public Service Association and he's in our Wellington studio.
Recent stories from Morning Report
Get the RNZ app
for easy access to all your favourite programmes
