Carl Bates: Repeat serious offending ‘not acceptable’

Carl Bates, MP for Whanganui.

OPINION

Campaigning in last year’s General Election, the clear message from people was that we needed to get tough on crime. In particular on those who are serious repeat offenders.

Even last week a constituent who owns a small business was telling me of the bouts of crime he has experienced, and how debilitating it has been for his staff and him.

It has had an ongoing impact on employee’s willingness to work particular shifts.

Among a whole range of policies to put the rights of victims, instead of criminals, at the heart of our justice system was the restoration of the Three Strikes policy.

On Monday afternoon we announced that we would deliver on that commitment to enforce appropriate consequences on criminals. The coalition Government has made it clear that repeat serious violence or sexual offending is not acceptable in our society.

Everyone in New Zealand has the right to feel safe in their homes, businesses and communities and we will ensure that sentencing for repeat offending takes account of the harm caused to victims and their communities.

The new legislation will cover the same 40 serious violent and sexual offences as the former law, with strangling and suffocation offences added. However, it will only apply to sentences of more than 24 months imprisonment.

There will be a limited benefit for people who plead guilty, largely because it avoids the victims of crime being traumatised again, while those who commit murder as a second or third strike offence will receive a lengthy non-parole period.

We’ve all seen the cases of people appearing before the courts with long lists of previous convictions.

The coalition Government has made it clear it is now time to ensure that those with multiple strike offences are held accountable for their actions.

We are also sending a message to those who operate small businesses in the likes of Victoria Avenue, in the suburbs and throughout the Whanganui electorate that the safety of their staff and themselves matters.

These businesses are part of the backbone of our community, and we must support them to continue to provide the goods and services we rely on each day.

Getting New Zealand back on track will happen in a variety of ways, and restoring law and order is a very important step in that direction.

Carl Bates is MP for Whanganui