Labour launches scathing attack on three strikes bill

The Labour Party has issued a scathing attack on the three strikes bill, which it says will be a nightmare for victims, see court costs soar and have no impact on violent crime.

It also accuses the National and Act members of the law and order select committee of a flawed process, blocking advice to the committee and rushing the bill.

The Sentencing and Parole Reform bill was reported back from the committee yesterday, and included five new offences that would qualify as a strike.

In its minority report, Labour attacked the core of the bill and the committee process that it says was undemocratic and a "disgrace".

National and Act members of the committee declined to comment on the minority report yesterday.

The report said the National-Act majority of the committee had:

* prevented Ministry of Justice officials from continuing to advise the committee

* prevented further oral submissions to the revised bill, allowing only written submissions from those who had previously submitted on specific clauses

* given those submitters only two weeks or less to resubmit

"It is disgraceful that the committee is being denied the right to receive advice from the agency that clearly has the most knowledge and experience of sentencing laws," the minority report said.

"The Government does not want either appropriate scrutiny of the bill, or expert advice that may oppose its position to be aired publicly."

It said Labour was denied the chance to include a minority report on the committee's interim report, the first time this had ever happened for reasons other than un-Parliamentary language.

"This was another attempt by the National-Act parties to shut down opposition to this bill by shutting down the opposition to the committee."

Labour claims that an offender facing a third strike conviction would have no reason to plead guilty, which would see court costs rise and lead to a greater requirement for victims to testify and be dragged through trials and appeals.

The minority report quoted advice from the Department of Corrections - "there is an implicit assumption that the bill will have no deterrent impact" - that questioned the bill.

And from the Ministry of Justice: "The deterrence effect is uncertain. The proposals will add substantial direct costs to the justice system without creating any significantly improved outcomes in terms of reducing the drivers of crime, improving social outcomes or reducing reoffending and victimisation."