The Justice Minister is citing law reforms as the reason for a dramatic fall in the number of name suppressions being issued in court cases.

New figures show the number of name suppression orders has halved since 2011, from 640 people down to 317 last year.

Justice Minister Amy Adams said the Criminal Procedure Act 2011 changed how name suppression was granted with thresholds raised for defendants seeking suppression for reasons of undue and extreme hardship.

"In terms of whether or not it's fair on a defendant who by that stage has been convicted and has been found guilty, it should really only be in the most extreme cases that warrants a name being permanently suppressed. We want to defend that message and I think we have."

However, public concerns are still being aired as to whether famous people, or people in positions of influence are being granted name suppression too easily.

Ms Adams said it's a decision for judges and we have to leave it to them.

"We have a very well respected and strongly independent judiciary, and as soon as Parliament starts trying to dictate exactly how these decisions are made in each case, you really do run the risk of blurring that line between the proper role for the courts and the proper role for Parliament."