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The Christchurch
Civic Creche Case |
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New Zealand First MP
Ron Mark today launched a scathing attack on Tony Ryall and the National
Government's new crime initiatives. Speaking in response to the Prime
Minister's statement Mr Mark said that National's policies were driven by
nothing other than poll ratings and questioned the very sincerity of Mr Ryall
and his new 'get tough' stand. "It appears to us,
that for the National party, The market value of a murder in an election year
is infinitely greater than a murder, a bashing, or a burglary done at any
other time. "New Zealanders
want more than words, they want action, and they want the Government to mean
it when they say they are getting tough on crime; what they want is an iron
fist, not a limp wrist. "The fact is that
we have heard it all before, in 1990 they were going to wipe out gangs, in
1993 they said they were getting tough on crime, but they failed. In 1996
they said the same thing and New Zealanders believed them, but New Zealanders
won't be fooled again. "Today in
Parliament, the Minister of Justice, Tony Ryall said that he would only
increase the maximum sentences, because, on balance the average sentence
would increase. He should be worrying about the law of the land, not the law
of averages - legislate and hope. The thing that New Zealanders want is long
minimum sentences or at least mandatory sentences - that would show that he
really means business. Mr Mark was also
critical of the way that the Government has handled the Peter Ellis case, and
called for the Minister to expedite the processing of a petition seeking a
royal pardon from the Governor General before Ellis' parole hearing in two
weeks. |
