The TeLENZ 2021 Webinar Series for 'Leading Minds' will host a panel discussion with NZ Law Foundation-supported researchers who had recently released their report relating to 'Legislation as Code for New Zealand’.

Domestically and globally, governments are grappling with how to use regulation to deal with digital policy issues. They are also increasingly using computer systems to give effect to regulatory systems.

The authors find serious reasons for concern about the idea of Parliament passing “legislation as code”. Enacting legislation in code undermines the separation of powers and the role of the Judiciary. It also confers too much power on Executive government. They say “legislation” should not be passed in code. The researchers argue that while law as code is the future, it must remain subordinate to written law.

By contrast, they say computational models of the law can be a useful tool to improve government service delivery, access to the law and access to justice.

The report, ‘Legislation as Code for New Zealand’ is available here.

TeLENZ will discuss the issues with a panel of speakers who include:

1. Tom Barraclough; and

2. Hamish Fraser.

Information about the Panellists

Tom Barraclough (Strategic Director, Brainbox Institute) is a legal researcher with particular expertise in health, disability, and information technologies. His current research focuses on computational law, law as code, and algorithmic analysis of case law. He is also an expert in synthetic media, deepfakes, and disinformation. He is an Affiliate Research Fellow of the University of Otago School of Law, and has been a Chair of the New Zealand Artificial Intelligence Forum Working Group on Law, Ethics, and Society.

Hamish Fraser is an advisor, developer and ex-elected councillor currently working in the public service on the concepts of Better Rules and Legislation as Code. His Linkedin account is here.

TeLENZ is a project supported by the NZ Law Foundation to build New Zealand’s legal and policy capability in fast developing areas of law and technology.

Provisional run sheet

11:00 pm Start: TeLENZ Chair - Welcome & Introduction of Presenters/Panellists

11:05 pm First presenter: Hamish Fraser

11:25 pm Second presenter: Tom Barraclough

11:45 pm TeLENZ Chair facilitates initial discussion between presenters and, where appropriate, initiates this part of the webinar with his own question(s), and then opens out the Q&A session to all attendees

12:00 pm Chair ends and thanks presenters and all

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TeLENZ (Technology in Legal Education for New Zealand) is a nationwide collaborative initiative that facilitates the further integration of Information Technology-related content into core legal undergraduate education. TeLENZ involves all New Zealand law faculties/schools and is led by Associate Professor Wayne Rumbles (Jun 2015 - Feb 2020 Dean of Law, Te Piringa - Faculty of Law, University of Waikato): click here or visit https://telenz.nz/

Previous TeLENZ webinars can be viewed here or visit: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEGzIdjposMFAW-1wTIigDw/featured

The New Zealand Law Foundation, through its Information Law and Policy Project, is the funder for the TeLENZ initiative: click here or visit www.lawfoundation.org.nz