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Archived Press Releases 2001

Public demand to be heard at Paul Bailey's Parole hearing
Another Win to Crims
The Victims Rights Bill

PUBLIC DEMAND TO BE HEARD AT PAUL BAILEY'S PAROLE HEARING

(26th November 2001)

Sensible Sentencing, Family and Friends of Murder Victims and V.O.I.C.E will join forces to bring pressure on the parole board to decline Paul Bailey's bid for freedom!

Members of the three organisations have individually written to the Parole Board in an attempt to keep him behind bars.

We have been made aware our submissions will be given to Bailey under the "1993 Privacy Act". We feel that because Bailey has the right to sight their submissions, that those who have made submissions have the right to personally attend the hearing.

The Parole Board states that in considering release they have to consider "the need to protect the public" . The Board also states they "can decline to release a life-sentence inmate on parole for the rest of the offender's natural life if appropriate". (Bailey must be an "appropriate" case if ever there was one.)

It is obvious the parole board have been negligent in their duty to protect the public in the past, as an alarming proportion of our heinous offences have been committed by offenders while on parole. As the parole board seem to be becoming institutionalised we see it as essential for the public to have input into the parole hearings of such offenders.

It is essential that our Parole Board give paramount consideration to the feelings of the Victims families. In this case Bevan and Dawn Smith have to relive the trauma and devastation of Kylie's murder whenever Bailey comes up for Parole.

Bailey did not give Kylie or her family consideration when he raped and murdered her, he certainly deserves no compassion or consideration from Kylie's family, the Parole Board and the community at large.

Thank you
Regards,

Garth McVicar
National Spokesperson,
Sensible Sentencing Trust.

Another Win to Crims

(1st November 2001)

Unless New Zealander's demand a crack down on Crime starting with "Life Means Life" for our worst offenders, then our "Great" little country is destined to continue down this path of Murder, Mayhem and Violence.

It is ludicrous that at a time when new legislation placing more emphasis on the use of fines as an alternative to jail is being considered that the courts write $80 million in fines off!

Allowing these Criminals to "Walk Free" makes an absolute mockery of the proposed new Sentencing and Parole Bill, even more so when some of the money from fines is used to meet reparation awards made to Victims.

Reparation to Victims and fines are very clearly promoted in Mr Goffs new legislation.

Unless the Government is prepared to guarantee payment of Court awarded reparation, this legislation will be a waste of time. At present only 23% of reparation is ever paid anyway!!

After this recent $80 million write off the signal to criminals will be "why bother paying at all".

On top of this we see another seven small police stations in Hawkes Bay are facing closure. "Another win to the Crims"

Community Policing is proving to be an effective alternative to our present bulk discount "Warehouse" Justice System, so why on earth close down community police stations?

The safety and protection of the community must be an absolute priority in any Justice System, the present politically correct, culturally sensitive clap trap being promoted today is a dismal failure and makes a mockery of Law and Order.

Thank you
Regards,

Garth McVicar
National Spokesperson,
Sensible Sentencing Trust.

The Victims Rights Bill

(28th August 2001)

Violent criminals' "Hilton Hotel" rights continue.....
Victims left to scrape the barrel.

New Zealand's liberal offender based gravy train system (with 83% re-offending) has been given the green light once again!

The Government have dismally failed New Zealand's ever growing number of Victims of violent crime.

As the public of New Zealand demand protection from violent criminals, the Government have sadly failed New Zealand's ever increasing number of Victims.

With 33,000 violent offences last year, it does not take much imagination to see violent crime statistics passing the 500,000 mark for this decade.

After extensive and well researched submissions on the Victims Rights Bill, the Sensible Sentencing Trust are very disappointed at the result.

Many victims who have been through the system and know the shortfalls had input into our Submissions. They will be devastated with this result. This Bill could have helped these people.
Once again they have been let down!!!

No matter what the rest of the Bill states, under clause 10 the Victim has no legal right to "Enforce the Principles" stated elsewhere.

Yet Margaret Wilson saw fit to pay $90,000 to a Mob member who felt his "rights" had been infringed.

Garth McVicar
National Co-ordinator

See how the Australians do this properly -
The Victims Rights Act 1996 in New South Wales
And the accompanying Victim Support and Rehabilitation Act 1996
i.e. victim compensation as asked for in the Law and Order Referendum. Both pieces of legislation were passed by a sympathetic NSW State Government after extensive lobbying by victim rights groups. Between them they are a fine piece of work.