Quinn Paul: Electoral (Disqualification of Sentenced Prisoners) Amendment Bill — Third Reading 
Quinn Paul: Electoral (Disqualification of Sentenced Prisoners) Amendment Bill — Third Reading 
[Volume:669;Page:15961] 
PAUL QUINN (National) 
: 
 I move  
That the Electoral (Disqualification of Sentenced Prisoners) Amendment Bill be now read a third time 
. We are in the final stage of considering this bill. I have listened with care and intent to the arguments—or should I say the lack of arguments—that have been discussed in this House. I think I can best sum up the Opposition’s contribution to the debate as being spurious rhetoric. From the shrill rantings of Lianne Dalziel to the terminological inexactitudes of Trevor Mallard from the clamouring diatribe of Grant Robertson to the bellowing tirade of Clayton Cosgrove in the first reading their contribution is as I said best summed up as a show of ineptitude. 
The starting point for consideration of this bill is the 1986 Royal Commission on the Electoral System. I will quote that commission. It said: “Punishment for serious crimes properly involves the forfeiture of the right to vote.” Unfortunately it then undersold itself by suggesting that people go to prison for misdemeanours. The truth of the matter is that this goes to the nub of the issue. People do not go to prison for misdemeanours—it is as simple as that. I noticed that the Attorney-General said in his regulations review report—which I might say we actually do without fear or favour—that people may go to prison for not paying a fine. The fact is only serial fine defaulters go to prison. 
I will quote from a Minister of Corrections in the previous administration the Hon Rick Barker. In answer to an oral question in which he was asked about this matter he said a decision to sentence a fines defaulter to a custodial sentence is one made by a judge when he or she is satisfied that all other methods of enforcing the fines have been ineffective. I see the member for Rimutaka across the aisle. Only last month in the Upper Hutt District Court Donnie Cliburn after numerous opportunities to pay off his unpaid fines of $42000 and after snubbing the opportunity to work them off with 160 hours of community work was finally remanded. He had $42000 of unpaid fines; how long might it have taken him to pay them off? That is a classic example of what that Minister of Corrections was referring to. 
There are any number of laws on our statute book whereby people can go to prison. Under a 1920s Act people can go to prison for swearing. Has anyone been to prison for swearing? No. One person was charged in about 1929 but the case never went anywhere. I tell Opposition members to live in the real world. The difference between members on this side of the House and members on the other side of the House is that we are prepared to deal with reality not to mould reality to fit a purpose. The truth is that people go to prison only for committing serious crimes. Over 70 percent of all inmates have at least 10 convictions before they serve their first term in prison. 
I know that Opposition members do not like talking about real examples because they do not like reality but let us talk about some. I refer to Richard Rowe who had 20 previous drink-driving convictions before receiving a first custodial sentence of 16 months. Alison Downer had three previous drink-driving convictions before killing a cyclist and incurring her fourth conviction. Harley McKenzie specialised in torturing animals. After having been convicted of numerous acts of cruelty against animals he was finally given a custodial sentence of 4 months for beating nearly to death a protected seal. This followed an incident 3 months earlier when he had cut off the ears and tail of a pig. Isaiah Tai notwithstanding that Justice Potter called his offence “unprovoked gratuitous violence” was sentenced to 2 years and 10 months for the manslaughter of Hawea Vercoe. Under the current law he would be able to vote. I say that is a scourge on this society and it is an outrage. I say to my colleagues that this bill will right the injustice and the outrage that have occurred since 1996. 
I know that the Green Party will quote other jurisdictions which I have already commented on. I find it ironic that those members spend most of their lives in here telling us that we should do our own thing. That was their argument on the  
Hobbit 
 issue—let us be world leaders; let us be at the front of the pack. But on this matter because it suits them they quote other jurisdictions and say we are way out of kilter. I can tell them that the two biggest democracies in the world do not allow their prisoners to vote. Britain was always of that view. As Mr Robertson knows although the overwhelming majority of the British people are against prisoners’ voting they have had to accept change simply because the EC has forced them to do so—otherwise they would face fines. 
I thank my colleagues on this side of the House my own National colleagues for supporting me in bringing justice on this matter. I thank my Government colleagues in the ACT Party for supporting me. Notwithstanding the wailings of the taxpayer-funded boffins who closet themselves in our ivory towers and the whimpering of the chardonnay socialists who masquerade as independent advisers the passing of this bill will be a triumph for the overwhelming majority of New Zealanders. Thank you.