ABSTRACT In this article, Geoff McLay, a former New Zealand Law Commissioner, asks what distinguishes Law Commissions from government agencies through which Governments might seek to reform the law. He does this by examining the work of the New Zealand Law Commission within the context of reform generally within New Zealand in order to establish what the Law Commission adds to the general policy and law-making machinery. Professor McLay argues that the work of the Commission, and its success (and failures), can be usefully viewed through two lenses of identity and process. The identity lens points to the aspects of the Commission’s work that come from it being a ‘Law Commission’ and explains much of its work in the area of ‘lawyers’ law reform'. The process lens which focuses on the Commission’s independence from Government policy control explains the Commission’s ability to take on non traditional projects. He argues that it is this independence, albeit imperfect, that makes the Law Commission a valuable part of the law-making scene that should not be necessarily restricted to ‘lawyers’ law reform'.

中文翻译：

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新西兰机构法改革：独立的重要性

摘要 在本文中，新西兰前法律专员杰夫·麦克莱 (Geoff McLay) 询问了法律委员会与政府可能寻求改革法律的政府机构的区别。为此，他在新西兰总体改革的背景下审查了新西兰法律委员会的工作，以确定法律委员会对总体政策和立法机制的补充。麦克莱教授认为，委员会的工作及其成功（和失败）可以通过身份和过程的两个视角来观察。身份视角指向委员会作为“法律委员会”工作的各个方面，并解释了其在“律师”法律改革领域的大部分工作。关注委员会独立于政府政策控制的过程镜头解释了委员会承担非传统项目的能力。他争辩说，正是这种独立性，尽管不完美，使法律委员会成为立法领域的一个有价值的部分，而不必局限于“律师的法律改革”。