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Archived Press Releases 2012 2nd February 2012

Australia gets priorities right

(2nd February 2012)

Western Australia is set to introduce a raft of new legislation that will give greater police powers while drug manufacturers and domestic violence offenders will get harsher penalties.

And the Sensible Sentencing Trust say New Zealand should do the same.

Trust Spokesman, Garth McVicar said while this country was languishing in the aftermath of 30 years of liberal ideology Australia was taking positive action to protect its citizens.

"The Australian proposal will take away magistrates power to issue fines or community based sentences and replace them with mandatory sentences."

Mr McVicar said while successive Governments in N Z had given judges wide discretion and even encouraged the use of community based sentences that power had been abused.

"Some NZ Judges are consistently letting their colleagues down. These 'bad' Judges are exposing citizens to incredible danger by giving offenders bail and / or a community based sentence which often results in additional crime and in some cases the death of innocent people."

"At present if a Judges actions result in someone being killed (such as Judge David McNaughton in the Christie Marceau tragedy) there is no mechanism to hold that Judge to account."

"The Sensible Sentencing Trust believes there should be an annual performance review of Judges with the right of public recall for those whose actions result in the death of innocent people."

"We want to reduce the number of victims, if that means Judges need to be held accountable for their actions – so be it."

Regards,

Garth McVicar
National Spokesperson,
Sensible Sentencing Trust.