Justice Centre | 19 Aitken Street
DX SX10088 | Wellington
T 04 918 8800 |
F 04 918 8820
[email address] | www.justice.govt.nz
18 December 2025
N Roberts
[FYI request #33009 email]
Our ref: OIA 128146
Tēnā koe N Roberts
Official Information Act request: Public Defence Service job applications
Thank you for your email of 26 November 2025 to the Ministry of Justice (the Ministry),
requesting information under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act) regarding the job
application process at the Public Defence Service (PDS). Specifically, you requested:
1. How does the PDS (or MoJ if appropriate) assess applications made for job
vacancies, both legal and non-legal?
2. How many people are involved with assessing an application above in 1? A range
is sufficient.
3. Does the PDS (or MoJ if appropriate) use any artificial intelligence algorithm to
automatically reject applications based on any set criteria?
4. How many applications have been made for each advertised roles for the PDS
since 01/09/2025? Please include successful, shortlisted, rejected, withdrawn, and
other determinations.
For ease of reference, I have listed your questions below and responded to them in the order
they have been asked.
Question 1 – How does the PDS (or MoJ if appropriate) assess applications made for job
vacancies, both legal and non-legal?
Applications are assessed through a structured recruitment process aligned with the
Ministry’s recruitment policy.
Applications are reviewed against the essential criteria for the role, to clarify which applicants
meet the minimum requirements for the role, for example, has or will be able to obtain the
relevant qualification or practising certificate before commencing employment.
The remaining applications are then reviewed in more detail, considering experience, skills,
and alignment with the role’s competencies to then identify which applicants to take through
to an interview. A shortlisting matrix is used for this process.
Depending on the number of applications received or the nature of the role, we may include
additional screening steps such as phone interviews or the use of
Modern Hire assessments.
After interviews, we aim to identify the preferred candidate(s), who we will then seek to
reference check before making an offer. Pre-employment checks (such as criminal
conviction and outstanding fines checks) are completed before employment is confirmed.
Question 2 – How many people are involved with assessing an application above in 1? A
range is sufficient.
Typically, assessment of applications involves the hiring manager and their recruitment
panel, as well as members of the recruitment team. In most cases, this means around one to
five people are involved. It is important to note that not all of these people may be involved at
every stage. For example, depending on the number of applications received, a Recruitment
Advisor may undertake the initial screening of applications before inviting the hiring manager
and panel to review the longlist and participate in interviews. If application numbers are
lower, the hiring manager and/or panel may review all applications directly.
Question 3 – Does the PDS (or MoJ if appropriate) use any artificial intelligence algorithm to
automatically reject applications based on any set criteria?
The Ministry and, by extension, the PDS, do not use artificial intelligence or automated
algorithms to reject applications. We do not have any algorithms or configurations in our
applicant tracking system that automatically decline applications.
Answers provided in the application form and any supporting documents, such as CVs and
cover letters, are reviewed by a human before a decision is made on whether to progress or
decline the application.
Question 4 – How many applications have been made for each advertised roles for the PDS
since 01/09/2025? Please include successful, shortlisted, rejected, withdrawn, and other
determinations.
Between 1 September 2025 and 26 November 2025, 41 adverts were posted by the Public
Defence Service.
Twenty-one are still in active recruitment so we cannot provide a breakdown of the final
numbers at this time.
Sixteen were filled and four closed without a successful applicant.
Please refer to
Table 1 below, which shows the number of applications received for
advertised PDS roles since 1 September 2025 and their outcomes.
Please note that this response, with your personal details removed, may be published on the
Ministry website at:
Official Information Act responses | New Zealand Ministry of Justice.
If you are not satisfied with this response, you have the right to make a complaint to the
Ombudsman under section 28 of the Act. The Office of the Ombudsman may be contacted
by phone on: 0800 802 602, by email at: [email address], or via the
webform:
Make a complaint (for members of the public) | Ombudsman New Zealand. Nāku noa, nā
Jo Hickling
General Manager, People Experience
Table 1: The number of applications received for advertised PDS roles since 1 September 2025 and their outcomes
Positions
Candidate
ACT 1982
Position Title
Status
Applications
Shortlisted
Declined
Successful
Available
Withdrew
Intermediate Lawyer PAL2
FILLED
1
1
1
0
0
1
Intermediate Lawyer PAL2
FILLED
2
2
2
0
0
2
Lawyer PAL1
FILLED
1
11
2
8
2
1
Lawyer PAL1
CLOSED
2
2
0
2
0
0
Lawyer PAL1
FILLED
1
1
1
0
0
1
Lawyer PAL1
CLOSED
1
0
0
0
0
0
Lawyer PAL1
FILLED
1
4
1
3
0
1
Lawyer PAL2
CLOSED
1
1
0
1
0
0
INFORMATION
Legal Secretary
FILLED
1
3
3
2
0
1
Legal Support Assistant
FILLED
1
179
2
178
0
1
Legal Support Assistant
FILLED
1
83
7
81
1
1
Legal Support Assistant
FILLED
1
148
7
144
3
1
Legal Team Manager
FILLED
1
1
1
0
0
1
Legal Team Manager PAL2
FILLED
1
2
1
1
0
1
Office Public Defender
CLOSED
1
8
0
7
1
0
PDS Senior Leadership Coach
FILLED
1
44
7
42
1
1
Senior Lawyer PAL4
FILLED
1
4
1
2
1
1
Supervised Provider
FILLED
1
24
6
18
5
1
Supervised Provider
FILLED
2
36
3
26
8
2
Supervised Provider
FILLED
3
54
8
43
8
3
RELEASED UNDER THE OFFICIAL
