Toward the Disappearance of Tort Law - New Zealand's New Compensation Plan

51 Pages Posted: 7 Feb 2013 Last revised: 5 Jun 2015

See all articles by Sir Geoffrey Palmer QC

Sir Geoffrey Palmer QC

Victoria University of Wellington, Te Herenga Waka - Faculty of Law

Edward Lemons

Victoria University of Wellington - Te Herenga Waka

Date Written: 1972

Abstract

Although the major thrust of this article concerns the New Zealand compensation scheme, it first takes a look at the system which the new scheme will supplant. It then describes the evolution of the compensation legislation arising out of the Royal Commission's proposals of 1967. The purpose is to analyze the nature of the compensation scheme and to show how the original blueprint was altered, what alternatives were considered, and what decisions were taken on the shape of the scheme.

The balance of the article attempts to trace the scheme through the labyrinths of the political process, showing how the scheme was successfully defused as a political issue and how the interest groups affected by the reforms have reacted. Although this structure necessarily involves some repetition, it is felt that the Accident Compensation Bill can only be understood in the context of events prior to its introduction.

Keywords: Accident compensation, tort reform, New Zealand injury compensation

JEL Classification: K32

Suggested Citation

Palmer QC, Sir Geoffrey and Lemons, Edward, Toward the Disappearance of Tort Law - New Zealand's New Compensation Plan (1972). University of Illinois Law Forum 693, 1972, Victoria University of Wellington Legal Research Paper Series Palmer Paper No. 68/2015, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2213010

Sir Geoffrey Palmer QC (Contact Author)

Victoria University of Wellington, Te Herenga Waka - Faculty of Law ( email )

PO Box 600
Wellington, 6140
New Zealand

Edward Lemons

Victoria University of Wellington - Te Herenga Waka

P.O. Box 600
Wellington, 6140
New Zealand

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