Young Jonathan: Courts and Criminal Matters Bill — Second Reading 
Young Jonathan: Courts and Criminal Matters Bill — Second Reading 
[Volume:668;Page:15360] 
JONATHAN YOUNG (National—New Plymouth) 
: 
 I found the previous speech from Stuart Nash to be very interesting especially as the member opposite talked about the super-priority aspect of the Courts and Criminal Matters Bill. It actually gives the courts as it says priority over other security holders regarding a debt if a person owes a fine to the court. That enables the situation to develop whereby if a person goes to a finance company and seeks to raise a loan to purchase perhaps a vehicle and the finance company discovers there is a super priority against that person because of unpaid fines the finance company is most unlikely to advance those funds knowing that the courts will have first claim. Mr Nash talked about the “naming and shaming” aspect of that provision but I guess he did not understand that the Hon Rick Barker has said he authored that idea. Is that not interesting? I would have hoped that those members talked among themselves about ideas like that. The Hon Rick Barker thought that was a brilliant idea. I give all credit to the Hon Rick Barker who played a significant part in preparing this bill over a number of years. 
Many people whom I have talked to feel that that provision has some merit because it will bring accountability. It will bring accountability to people who purchase vehicles who have high amounts of indebtedness against them and who incur incredibly high numbers of fines but who do not pay those fines. When it was put in my local newspaper that $95 million had been written off the amount of debt owed by people in respect of fines people contacted me saying they were outraged that that amount of fines had been written off. People generally feel that that is unfair. They also feel that when people who have fines do not pay them the defaulters are scoffing at or showing contempt towards our legal system. People feel that there is an undermining of our justice system when people do not pay fines. 
This bill will bring greater power to enforce payment. It will bring in a more modernised automated system which will enable communication to happen more readily between those who owe fines and the courts. It will enable far greater efficiency and ensure far greater compliance on the part of people who have incurred fines—for whatever reason that may be—in terms of their paying those amounts. As people have said the amount that is owed could do some good to our economy—indeed that is true. We have an alarming problem and this bill will go a long way towards ensuring that we will see increased credibility in the justice system and monetary penalties being viewed as a credible sanction. 
I was incredibly shocked by Mr Locke’s presentation of his views regarding this bill. I do not believe that a person’s not having a high income is an excuse not to pay a fine. The person can choose not to cause the infringement in the first place. We need to have a greater sense of responsibility in our country. I know that some people say they cannot afford to get their cars warranted. If that is the case they cannot afford to drive a car. They should not be driving an unwarranted car because that car is not deemed to be safe. It is irresponsible to other road users for someone to drive an unwarranted car. It is a travesty and an outrage that people say in this House that that issue does not matter. 
Metiria Turei 
: You have no idea what people’s lives are like. 
JONATHAN YOUNG 
: Excuse me; you have no idea what I have ideas about. What you are saying is just your own opinions and your perspective. You have no idea madam. 
H V Ross Robertson 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. 
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER 
: I know what that member is going to say. The member is bringing me into the debate. Members cannot say “you” as that includes the presiding officer. 
JONATHAN YOUNG 
: Thank you Mr Deputy Speaker. 
This bill will address the issues regarding the payment of fines through the implementation of an automated credit-reporting system which will create a low-cost incentive for people to proactively contact the courts in order to resolve their fines. We need to have a system in our society that addresses issues of non-compliance. I know that the New Zealand Police has an internal policy called “Compliance”. In the Law and Order Committee we heard about that policy and applauded it because it enables people who have an infringement to do something about that infringement within a certain period of time and to spend what would normally be paid on a fine on bringing their vehicles up to the compliance standard. As a select committee we thought that was a very good policy to have. We also noted that local authorities have the same ability but that there is inconsistency throughout the country with regard to implementing that. However it is good to know that that common sense exists. I commend this bill to the House. Thank you.