Collins Judith: Parole (Extended Supervision) and Sentencing Amendment Bill — In Committee 
Collins Judith: Parole (Extended Supervision) and Sentencing Amendment Bill — In Committee 
[Volume:618;Page:14186] 
JUDITH COLLINS (National—Clevedon) 
: 
 I am really pleased to be able to say that New Zealand First United Future and ACT have joined with National to support an amendment that would see no home detention for violent offenders and sex offenders. It is really good that they have come to that decision and supported Wayne Mapp’s amendment. But unfortunately after all the rhetoric from the Minister and all the shouting out from the Labour benches the Government has decided to side with the Greens and the Progressive Party against women and children—as Dr Mapp so succinctly puts it. They are siding against the victims of violence and the victims of sex abuse. That shows the Government’s true colours which are that they are very much for the soft option when it comes to crime. 
The biggest thing about this Parole (Extended Supervision) and Sentencing Amendment Act is its name and that is about it. As my colleagues and I have said tonight we are supporting it for one reason and one reason only: that it is at least a little move towards looking after the victims of child sex abuse. That is all it is and it is only a little teeny move. 
 I know that the Government will get out after this bill is passed—if it does in fact pass—sing from the tops of trees and say that it is the most fantastic thing. It will say that the bill is the most fantastic thing for victims of child sex abuse just like it said it would stop this automatic two-thirds parole. What a hollow promise that was! It was a cynical vote-buying attempt and unfortunately too many people—even those on this side of the House—believed that the Government meant what it said. Unfortunately it was just a cynical move by the Minister of Justice the Hon Phil Goff to get a few votes. He has been and will be forever condemned by it because we know that that man is soft on crime just like his Government. 
I notice that he has not taken a call tonight. I notice that he has not stood up for his bill. I notice that he does not care enough to take a call and that has to be commented on. It is pretty appalling when the Minister in charge of the bill really does not care enough even to take a call. What he has put to us instead is a lot of Supplementary Order Papers. Instead of getting these things sorted out beforehand—instead of working with the select committee—he turned up afterwards with a whole raft of amendments. Of course we got them at the last moment and we are supposed to agree or not agree on them. It treats us in Parliament with a great deal of contempt when these sorts of matters are brought in at the last moment with no discussion no opportunity to take them to caucus no opportunity to talk to our electorates about them and no opportunity at all to have an input into them. 
That shows just what contempt Mr Goff obviously feels in relation to this particular area. Obviously parole extended supervision and sentencing amendment bills are not nearly as much fun as foreign affairs. Quite clearly the Minister of Justice has lost the plot when it comes to justice. He is now the “Minister of Overseas Travel” and is only slightly behind “Holiday Helen Clark” in her particular movements overseas. Justice has been left in the very shaky hands of several Associate Ministers of Justice and unfortunately despite the attempts they have made they are not really coming to grips with it. That is why we get this sort of legislation. 
Any attempt made by members on this side of the House to toughen such legislation up and give it a bit of spine is treated with a dismissive wave and a “No we will not vote for that because it was not our idea.” This Government continues to treat the victims of crime with contempt continues to wave away any view that is not its own and continues to be able to oversell its spin on these sorts of amendments to try to get what it wants.