Wellington, Dec 16 NZPA - A report by the auditor-general into the Justice Ministry's management of courts says the court system needs more staff and workloads are likely to remain high in the foreseeable future.

Auditor-General Lyn Provost said an investigation showed the ministry was doing well in its role of supporting the management of court workloads, but there was only so much it could do to hasten the rate at which cases were resolved.

While it could play a supporting role, improvements were the responsibility of the wider justice sector.

"Ultimately, the progress of any particular case is driven by the parties and the other court participants. And, as Dame Margaret Bazley noted in her recent review of legal aid, the parties -- and sometimes their lawyers -- can deliberately prolong the court proceedings."

Witnesses, defendants and plaintiffs all needed to ensure their affairs were in order before a case could proceed, and as a result, judges and court staff had limited ability to manage the flow of cases through the courts.

Impartiality and the right to a fair trial were the focus of courts over speed and efficiency, which made the ministry's role in helping manage workloads complex.

Ms Provost said she was pleased with the results of the audit, but that courts were "likely to remain under considerable pressure for the foreseeable future".

"The ministry is also aware that more judges, courtrooms, and registry staff will probably be needed."

The report said court workloads had increased significantly in recent years, and forecasts showed that case numbers would continue to grow.

In the year to June 30, 2009, the number of less serious cases not requiring jury trials was up 29 percent on the 2005 year.

Courts Minister Georgina te Heuheu said the Auditor-General's report was "predominantly favourable" and she was pleased the ministry's effectiveness and efficiency had been acknowledged.

"I am confident that the ministry will identify action it can take in response to the report's recommendations to place greater emphasis on collecting and sharing information about better practice in managing court workloads throughout all courts," she said.