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A friend of a woman killed by a repeat driver has has asked for a ministerial inquiry into the justice system's handling of the offender.
Gerald Waters wrote to Justice Minister Simon Power asking for a review of the justice system's handling of Warren Jenkins, who had 17 convictions for
drink driving.
He had been released from jail, where he served a term for drink-driving, only 10 days before killing Katherine Kennedy.
In his request to Mr Power, Mr Waters sought an inquiry to find out how the justice system had allowed Jenkins to return to the road drunk so often and to prevent the same thing happening to others.
Jenkins was sentenced to four years' jail last month.
Mr Waters asked for a review of the conditions of Jenkins' release from jail, whether safeguards were put in place to ensure public safety and a review of why those safeguards failed.
"The justice system must have been aware of the risk posed to the public by Mr Jenkins yet insufficient measures were put in place to safeguard the public, and Rin [Ms Kennedy], from him."
He also forwarded a letter from coroner H. Brandt Shortland saying the issues Mr Waters raised were important but could not be adequately assessed by the coroner.
A spokeswoman for Mr Power said he had received the request and it was being considered.
Yesterday Mr Waters also appeared before the parliamentary select committee considering changes to the drink driving laws, including a zero alcohol limit for under 20-year olds and interlocks for recidivist drink drivers.
He said he supported both measures but could not understand why the Government was not lowering the adult drink-driving limit until it had done further research.
He said more needed to be done in the cases of recidivist drink drivers, many of whom had alcohol dependence problems and little regard for legal limits.
He said he expected to feel angry when he saw Jenkins in court.
"But when I looked at him I felt pity for him."
He did not believe jail was the answer, saying that while it removed drunk drivers from the roads for a period, it did nothing to stop them offending after they were out.
Herald on Sunday editor Bryce Johns also made a submission, telling the committee of the reasons behind the paper's "Two Drinks Max" campaign.
Johns said it was rare for a newspaper editor to make a submission on a bill, but readers wanted the paper to take a stand on the issue.
He hoped the campaign would pressure lawmakers to lower the drinking limit.
"The Herald on Sunday is called the Car Crash on Sunday by its detractors. We would like to never cover another car crash again. That would be ideal."
He said 38 per cent of respondents in a poll said they did not drive if they had drunk anything and a further 35 per cent would not drive if they had more than two drinks.
The figures were similar among a further 36,000 who voluntarily did an online survey asking the same questions.
Other people making submissions yesterday also questioned the Government's decision not to lower the limit until further research had been done.
Jean Taylor Bell said she saw no reason to wait.
"The Government says it wants to be like Australia. Well, they have had a 0.05 limit for years. If we want to be like them, why don't we go there too."
