28442 (2026). Camilla Belich to the Minister of Justice

28442 (2026). Camilla Belich to the Minister of Justice: What specific purposes are the Ministry of Justice's 140 Microsoft Copilot licences being used for, and is Copilot used in any way to inform, support, or process court records, legal aid decisions, or sentencing and case-management information?

Hon Paul Goldsmith: I am advised that the Ministry of Justice undertook a Microsoft Copilot trial in 2025 involving approximately 150 licences. The purpose of the trial was to assess the extent to which Copilot could improve productivity, efficiency, and the quality of work produced by staff. During the trial, Copilot was used for drafting documents, summarising information and meetings, preparing presentations and agendas, and supporting collaboration across Microsoft 365 applications. As part of the trial, the Māori Land Court is piloting a solution to help automate administrative parts of the court order process. Microsoft Copilot is not used to inform, support, or make decisions in relation to court records, legal aid decisions, sentencing, or case management information.