Young Jonathan: Sentencing (Aggravating Factors) Amendment Bill — Second Reading 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Young Jonathan: Sentencing (Aggravating Factors) Amendment Bill — Second Reading 
[Sitting date: 07 February 2012. Volume:677;Page:163. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
JONATHAN YOUNG (National—New Plymouth) 
: 
 I am pleased to stand in support of this Sentencing (Aggravating Factors) Amendment Bill and note that parties on the other side of the House likewise are supporting it. I do want to say that we continually hear the comment that none of this legislation will act as a deterrent to those activities. There are times when a judgment from a court is not actually just to serve as a deterrent but as a protection to society particularly if somebody is prepared to assault a police officer or a corrections officer. We need to question whether that person ought to be at liberty to continue or to assault members of the public because assaulting a person in that level of authority shows that they have no regard at all to the rule of law. Let us not be mistaken—this bill is not about a soft counselling session to create a deterrent but about a protection. It is sending a signal. We are writing a line in the sand to say that the protection of our men and women in uniform—who represent the rule of law in our society—is something we take with the utmost seriousness. To think that this legislation is unimportant I believe is a travesty of the purposes of this House which is to protect our society.  
I am sure that each of us here in this House know men and women in our communities who are police officers or corrections officers. Let us not forget that they are our friends and our neighbours. They are sportsmen and women they are coaches they are sons and daughters mothers and fathers family members and brothers and sisters. They are people like us who want to make a contribution not only in their vocation but as contributors to our society. Their job unlike anyone else’s in our community pits them against the most violent in our communities something that none other is required to do.  
I would like to read out what the Police Association printed in its  
Police News 
 at the end of last year because this tells the story of two of its officers who received bravery awards. These are constables in Christchurch. Let me read: “Constable Wardle was speaking after receiving an New Zealand Police Association bravery award along with his colleague former constable Marty Stiles. The two officers were involved in an incident in the Christchurch suburb of Phillipstown in July last year during which Senior Constable Bruce Lamb was shot in the face his police dog Gage was killed and his colleague Constable Mitch Alatalo was shot in the leg. Constables Alatalo and Wardle were conducting a routine search under the Misuse of Drugs Act during which the aggressive manner of one of the occupants led them to call for backup. Constable Stiles and dog handler Senior Constable Lamb and his dog Gage responded. The occupant refused to come out of his room. When Senior Constable Lamb opened the door the man opened fire with a rifle shooting him through the face. His next shot killed police dog Gage. The gunman then came to the doorway and opened fire again this time hitting Constable Alatalo as the officer retreated escaping from the house … While under fire Constable Stiles grabbed his fallen colleague Senior Constable Lamb by the belt and dragged him back down the hallway towards safety. At the same time Constable Wardle (then acting as Sergeant) confronted the gunman with a Taser. As he did so the gunman aimed at Constable Wardle and pulled the trigger but the firearm jammed. The officer fired the Taser but it failed to incapacitate the offender. To buy enough time for Constable Stiles to evacuate the wounded Bruce Lamb Constable Wardle reloaded the Taser and continued to challenge the offender who briefly retreated before again following the officers out of the house and down the drive while pointing his rifle at them. Constable Wardle provided cover for his colleagues while they retreated. Following the officers’ retreat further armed police arrived. The offender rearmed himself with a higher powered rifle and was ultimately arrested by the Armed Offenders Squad.”  
This is the reason why this legislation is before the House because these men and women are facing life-threatening situations that can happen any moment of any day. As a Government we stand by our men and women in uniform who are there to protect the citizens of this nation. National is delivering on our promises to take action on violent crime. We have passed 18 new laws to make families safer in their homes and communities. We have made sentences tougher and strengthened bail law. We have boosted the number of police on the streets and given them new tools to tackle crime while improving services for victims. We are proud of the stance that we are taking. Thank you.