Environment Court Judge 'impressed' by Restorative Justice

Posted on 14/02/2011 by John

Environment Court Judge Harland has said she is "very impressed with the results that have been achieved" through a restorative justice meeting. The restorative justice process facilitated by Out of Court took place at the request of the Judge as an innovative way of addressing the Environment Waikato prosecution of Taupo District Council following the illegal dumping of sewage sludge in Mangakino. Taupo District Council pleaded gulity to the charges in February 2010, and Judge Harland directed a restorative justice conference to determine whether the fine, indicated as likely to be $27,000, could go towards "a community project that might benefit the Mangakino community in some way." 

Out of Court publicised and ran a community meeting between Mangakino residents, Taupo District Council and Environment Waikato. The meeting was well attended and resulted in the generation of several options put forward by local residents.  As a result, Taupo District Council set aside $15,000 towards a new treatment and irrigation process to address some of the stormwater issues and to irrigate the golf course, $10,000 towards a community garden, and $5,000 to research stormwater flow into the Mangakino wastewater system.  The Council also apologised to the Mangakino community and undertook to improve its communication process with residents.

 As Judge Harland put it, the meeting was "an excellent example of what can be achieved by people when they approach the solution to a problem with goodwill and lateral thought".

Click here for a detailed report.