This omnibus Government bill amends the Armed Forces Discipline Act 1971, the Court Martial Act 2007 and the Court Martial Appeals Act 1953 with the stated single broad policy of making the military justice system easier to navigate and administer, to better enable command to focus on operational outputs. Its key changes: a new minor disciplinary sanction system for very low-level offending (such as being late for duty); transferring responsibility for serious, complex or sensitive offending out of the chain of command to the Director of Military Prosecutions; extending the right to elect trial by the Court Martial to all offences except a subset to be identified in Defence Force Orders; updated search powers under section 95 plus new powers to search defence areas and carry out drug testing; a new search warrant framework giving judicial oversight of electronic-device searches and off-base searches; and better alignment of bail provisions with the civilian system. The bill passed its first reading on 10 February 2026 and is before Parliament.
This omnibus bill restructures the military justice system that applies to uniformed New Zealand Defence Force personnel worldwide, with the stated aim of making it easier to navigate and administer so command can focus on operational outputs. It would introduce a new minor-disciplinary-sanction system, move serious cases from the chain of command to the Director of Military Prosecutions, widen the right to elect trial by Court Martial, and add new search and drug-testing powers.
Supporters argue that a clearer, more modern system strengthens discipline and operational effectiveness while improving fairness, for example by separating serious prosecutions from the chain of command. Others may examine whether the new powers and sanction categories carry adequate safeguards and rights protections for service personnel, and how the military system continues to sit alongside the civilian justice system.
See the Parliament.nz ↗ site for the full bill.