A long-awaited new bill to overhaul how judges are chosen has been delayed yet again.

The Judicial Appointments Bill was due before cabinet this morning, but has been delayed by a further two weeks.

The bill now faces a major race against time to be passed before the summer break, in order to fill looming vacancies on the Supreme Court.

There will be three empty seats on that court, including that of the Chief Justice, by August - with no cabinet agreement on how to fill them.