Justice Minister Phil Goff should not cry foul over a $1.14 million legal aid bill run up by a family of burglars, as his own legislation will add to the problem, says Act MP Stephen Franks.
Mr Goff said on Wednesday he was "dismayed" that a South Auckland family
of seven jailed for a series of burglaries had incurred the huge legal aid bill.
But Mr Franks said a clause in the minister's Sentencing and Parole Reform Bill gave lawyers "a whole new range of opportunities" to stretch out court hearings after a verdict.
In submissions on the bill, Law Society criminal law committee convenor Judith Ablett Kerr, QC, said a new code of criminals' rights had the potential for "clogging up" valuable court time.
It would lead to sentence hearings that were at present unnecessary, she said.
Mr Franks said that would create a "great new industry for legally aided lawyers."
The bill is now before Parliament.
Act had urged that the code include provisions to balance the new rights with disincentives to stop the process being abused at sentencing hearings.
"But the Government has done nothing," said Mr Franks.
As well as adding to the misery of victims, who would have to go over their own losses again, Mr Goff had "set us up for a massive expansion in criminal legal aid".
Seven Tukuafu family members were jailed in February after being found guilty by a jury last year on a total of 247 charges, mainly burglary.
Their trial lasted more than six months, involving 17 lawyers, about 600 witnesses and 700 exhibits.
National Party justice spokesman Wayne Mapp has labelled the legal aid bill "outrageous".
Criminal Bar Association president Geoff Wells said the public had a right to be concerned over the bill, but it was not unusual that people did not wish to plead guilty.
- NZPA
