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Budget 2026 allocates $100 million for two new courthouses in Rotorua, one serving the Law Courts and one for the Māori Land Court.
The Coalition Government has directed $100 million in Budget 2026 toward new court infrastructure in Rotorua. Courts Minister Nicole McKee made the announcement ahead of the 28 May Budget delivery.
Existing facilities suffer from leaks, mould and poor ventilation. These conditions have created unacceptable standards for court users and staff. The buildings also force victims, jurors, witnesses and defendants to share entrances, raising security risks.
McKee said the investment addresses these problems directly.
“New Zealanders deserve a justice system that delivers timely outcomes in safe, modern, fit-for-purpose facilities.”
She added that Rotorua has been left with buildings no longer fit for purpose for too long.
What the new facilities will include
The new Rotorua Law Courts facility will include two jury-enabled courtrooms, one additional non-jury custodial courtroom and one additional non-custodial multi-jurisdictional courtroom. Planning and design work is already underway. Construction is expected to start next year after main contractor procurement. The Law Courts building on Pukutua Street is due to open by mid-2030. The Māori Land Court facility will follow on the current Tutanekai Street site from 2031.
Budget 2026 fiscal context
This capital spend sits inside the government’s annual $3.5 billion capital allowance for Budgets 2026, 2027 and 2028. The operating allowance for Budget 2026 is set at $2.4 billion. Finance Minister Nicola Willis will deliver the Budget under these fixed envelopes.
Budget 2025 provided $245.5 million over four years for court timeliness, judicial capacity and legal aid. It did not fund new courthouse builds, including the Rotorua project that had been advanced as part of a larger public-private partnership proposal valued at more than $400 million in capital costs.
The PPP model explored in 2025 covered the Waitakere District Court, Rotorua District and High Courts, and Rotorua Māori Land Court, and was presented to investors at the NZ Infrastructure Investment Summit in March 2025. In November 2025, lawyers and the Rotorua mayor called publicly on the Government to include the long-promised rebuild in the next Budget.
Tutanekai Street, central Rotorua — the existing courthouse site on this street will host the new Māori Land Court facility, with construction expected from 2031. Photo: AnnWoolliams / CC BY-SA 4.0
A long-identified priority site
According to RNZ reporting on Ministry of Justice documents, roughly half of the country’s court buildings were rated in very poor condition by late 2023, with national infrastructure repair costs having exceeded $1 billion. The Rotorua District Court recorded the lowest national user satisfaction rating in Ministry of Justice surveys. The Government had already purchased land for the new building and was working with the local council to secure resource consent prior to the funding announcement.
The $100 million allocation represents targeted justice-sector capital within tight fiscal settings. It prioritises law-and-order infrastructure over broader spending increases. McKee framed the investment as evidence of fiscal responsibility: “These practical investments to strengthen the justice system are made possible thanks to the Coalition Government’s careful use of taxpayer money.”
Improved facilities are projected to increase courtroom capacity and support faster case resolution. This aligns with the Coalition’s focus on core public services while maintaining overall fiscal discipline ahead of the pre-election period.
Construction timeline and regional impact
Construction timelines stretch to 2030 and beyond, typical of major public infrastructure projects. The investment channels funds into local Rotorua construction activity and supply chains in the Bay of Plenty region.
Labour’s justice spokesperson and the New Zealand Law Society were approached for comment. Neither had responded by deadline.
