Hon KIRITAPU ALLAN: Delay in the Family Court can have negative effects on parents and their tamariki, including uncertainty, stress, and deepening parental conflict that can have long-term mental health impacts on children. The Family Court Associate will take on work at the early stages of proceedings in administrative work known as boxwork—for example, appointing a lawyer for child or a lawyer to assist the court in various interlocutory matters. By taking on some of the judges' workload, this new role will help reduce delay and its harmful effects, with the Ministry of Justice estimating that the Family Court Associate role will save up to 25 percent of judicial time. 