Wall Louisa: Electronic Monitoring of Offenders Legislation Bill — Second ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeWall Louisa: Electronic Monitoring of Offenders Legislation Bill — Second Reading[Sitting date: 01 June 2016. Volume:714;Page:11618. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]LOUISA WALL (Labour—Manurewa): Fa‘afetaimalo lava le soifua. It has been really interesting listening to some of the debate and reading some of the background information on this in the second reading of the Electronic Monitoring of Offenders Legislation Bill. I am not on the Law and Order Committee. I am part of the justice team within the Labour caucus. I was really fascinated by the Law and Order Committee’s commentary on the bill which was all about—and I will read it: “This bill would effectively restate and facilitate the existing ability to impose electronic monitoring as a condition of an extended supervision order (ESO) on released offenders.”The reason it was highlighted was that the Attorney-General said that this piece of legislation would place unjustifiable limits on offenders’ rights and protections under the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act and the “rights affected are those of freedom of movement against unreasonable search or seizure and against double jeopardy.” The reason everybody has become interested in that particular impact of the legislation was around Tony Robertson and his offending when he was on extended supervision and obviously the rape and murder of Blessie Gotingco. I cannot not in this contribution acknowledge Blessie and her whānau and the impact of our justice system on their lives. There was an inquiry report that has just been released and within that it said there were issues in terms of the rehabilitation this young man did or did not receive at the time. So there are implications from that legislation and that experience within our justice system for New Zealanders and I think it should be acknowledged.The ability for people who are released from prison on a prison sentence of 2 years or less to now be eligible for electronic monitoring has actually quite a big implication for our justice system. We currently have 4000 people who are under an electronic monitoring regime and there will be another 5800 people who post this piece of legislation will also be on an electronic monitoring regime.This is an opportunity I guess to share what some of the submissions were to the select committee. I too want to highlight Dr Kim Workman’s submission and acknowledge that he received a doctorate of literature on 19 May this year from Victoria University and that he is completing a book that is titled Criminal Justice the State and Māori: 1985 to 2014 and Beyond. He actually on behalf of the Robson Hanan Trust for the Rethinking Crime and Punishment project did have some concerns. He said electronic monitoring is the fashion and his concern was about the rehabilitation opportunities for people who were in prison and then were transitioning out of prison into the community.If the extent of the rehabilitation and support offered to those people is “Now you are monitored and you have a probation officer who will monitor you in the community.” actually I think there may be unforeseen consequences with this piece of legislation. What we do need to ensure is that anyone who qualifies under this regime actually receives the support they need—drug and alcohol support other forms of counselling—and that part of the intent of this legislation actually should be to reduce recidivism. I am not sure whether that has been thought through as fully as it could have been.I am hoping this not just a cost-cutting mechanism so that under this legislation we do not have the release of 5800 people who should still be in prison but what I am reassured by is that on our side of the House we have a former Minister of Justice the Hon Phil Goff who has been monitoring this piece of legislation. So because of his experience and his guidance for some of us on this side of the House I too stand in support of this piece of legislation. Thank you.