2. Question No. 2—JusticeNICOLE McKEE (ACT) to the Minister of JusticeQuestion No. 2—Justice2. NICOLE McKEE (ACT) to the Minister of Justice: Does she stand by her statement that she is taking a victim-centric" approach to justice and is this victim-centric approach compatible with the Government's justice policies?Hon DAVID PARKER (Attorney-General) on behalf of the Minister of Justice: Yes which is why on 21 April the Government announced a series of practical changes to give victims more rights and support in the justice system. The package includes legislative changes regarding penalties for sexual violence against children litigation abuse and family proceedings and giving greater input to victims of sexual violence around name suppression decisions three pilot programmes to improve safety and help victims of serious crime navigate the court system strengthened support for child victims of sexual violence and improving victims' views being provided in bail decisions. In addition $3 million in funding for victim support and $2.2 million in additional funding will be provided to the Victim Assistance Scheme.Nicole McKee: Does she believe that scrapping longer sentences for repeat violent and sexual offenders as the Government did when it got rid of the three-strikes legislation is consistent with taking a victim-centric approach to justice?Hon DAVID PARKER: There is no evidence that three-strikes legislation worked. One of the more shameful examples of its application was in respect of someone who was challenged intellectually but none the less felt the effects of three-strikes law in a way that was probably wrong and unjust. And on this side of the House we believe that it is important that perpetrators of serious crime are held to account and were appropriately imprisoned but those sentencing decisions should be left to the courts.Nicole McKee: How can she defend the Government's policy to not build any more prisons when there has been a 121 percent increase in serious assault victimisations resulting in injury since January 2017 with the number of victimisations increasing year on year to December 2022?Hon DAVID PARKER: I think it was the Minister of Finance in the last National-ACT Government—and a former Prime Minister—who said that New Zealand's then penal policy was a fiscal and moral failure and parties that would take us back to that fiscal and moral failure would be making a mistake and would not be protecting New Zealanders from harm.Hon Paul Goldsmith: How can this Government claim to be victim-centric when National revealed more strangulation offenders than victims were helped by the $20 million strangulation initiative in Budget 2020?Hon DAVID PARKER: That statistic is of course no surprise at all to anyone that thinks about the fact that it's a new offence.Nicole McKee: How can she reconcile the Government's goal to reduce the prison population by 30 percent with her victim-centric approach and what message does this send to the victims?Hon DAVID PARKER: The Government's had no such target.Nicole McKee: Does she believe that the Government's first job is to keep law abiding New Zealanders safe from criminals and if so will she support ACT's policy to invest in building an additional 500-bed prison to ensure—Hon Marama Davidson: That's how to keep people in danger.SPEAKER: Order! The Hon Marama Davidson will stand withdraw and apologise.Hon Marama Davidson: I withdraw and apologise.SPEAKER: I'll ask you to ask the question again.Nicole McKee: Thank you Mr Speaker. Does she believe that the Government's first job is to keep law abiding New Zealanders safe from criminals and if so will she support ACT's policy to invest in building an additional 500-bed—[Interruption]SPEAKER: Ah sorry. The Hon Marama Davidson will leave the Chamber.Hon Marama Davidson: Point of order.SPEAKER: Now please.Hon Marama Davidson: I thought we were allowed to—SPEAKER: Members have the right to ask questions—I remind the House that.Hon Marama Davidson withdrew from the Chamber. Nicole McKee: Should I start again Mr Speaker?SPEAKER: Yes please.Nicole McKee: Does she believe that the Government's first job is to keep law abiding New Zealanders safe from criminals and if so will she support ACT's policy to invest in building an additional 500-bed prison to ensure there is sufficient capacity for dangerous criminals to be kept from continually harming our communities and from creating more victims?Hon DAVID PARKER: In respect of the second part of that question no."