Simpson Scott: Victims of Crime Reform Bill — Second ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeSimpson Scott: Victims of Crime Reform Bill — Second Reading[Sitting date: 05 March 2014. Volume:696;Page:16396. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]SCOTT SIMPSON (National—Coromandel): It is a pleasure to rise in support of the second reading of the Victims of Crime Reform Bill in the name of the very hard-working and best Minister of Justice we have had in many many years the Hon Judith Collins. “Too little too late” was the slogan they used in New Plymouth at the last election and we have heard another “too little too late” speech tonight from the member across the House who has just resumed his seat Andrew Little. In New Zealand we are rightly proud of our criminal justice system and although we must preserve its excellence we also need to make sure that the system is not immune from the need to modernise and to change as requirements change in society.This is a Government that is very proud to put victims first in our criminal justice system. For too long the victims have been bystanders in a judicial system that they have not really felt party to or connected to in any meaningful way. One thing that the previous speaker did mention was that victims are not there in our criminal justice system voluntarily and indeed they are not. For too long our system has not placed enough focus or emphasis on victims and this bill seeks to change the law relating to the victims of crime and give victims a much greater voice within our criminal justice system.This Government was elected to improve the justice system amongst many other things and so a major focus of the work that this administration has been doing in terms of improving public services has been in the justice sector. Victims of crime absolutely do not choose to be participants in the criminal justice system. They are at best reluctant participants. They are there by definition because they have suffered an inconvenience as an absolute minimum but more often far worse suffering has occurred. This is a Government that puts victims first and we are not embarrassed or ashamed by it. We are not soft on crime.Exactly what does this bill do? Well it expands the rights of victims who have been subjected to serious criminal offences. It gives victims a much greater opportunity to be involved in the system rather than just be mere bystanders. Victims will be much better informed about their rights and their ability to be active participants within the system. Most members of the public would be I suspect astounded if they went and visited a court because until recently until this Government started meaningful and real reform and modernisation of our court system people observing a criminal court process would have seen a rigid complicated user-unfriendly workplace. Under previous Labour administrations they would have seen a culture that seemed to tolerate waste delay and frustration for victims. Those people who suffer most from those failings have of course been the victims and they suffered most during what was an already traumatic event or period in their life. This bill expands their rights and it does so appropriately and accordingly.The Justice and Electoral Committee came up with several recommendations to improve the scope of the support provided to victims and I am very pleased with the work the committee did. It was another example of the select committee process working to the advantage of the New Zealand public in terms of producing I think a better piece of legislation. One of the areas that is most worthwhile is the area of impact statements where matters such as photographs drawings and other visual representations will now be able to be included in an impact statement and I think thatis a very progressive and forward aspect of this bill. I could go on for a great deal longer but I do not want to further take the time of the House. I commend this bill thoroughly to the House and suggest that it be adopted forthwith.