Macindoe Tim: Financial Review Debate — In Committee 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Macindoe Tim: Financial Review Debate — In Committee 
[Sitting date: 01 May 2012. Volume:679;Page:1792. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
TIM MACINDOE (National—Hamilton West) 
: 
 I just want to take a call if I may and commend the tremendous job that is being done by officials within the justice department. In particular I acknowledge the great start that our new Minister of Justice the Hon Judith Collins has made since she took over this role. It is significant that our Minister has taken over a very demanding role. Of course in the previous Parliament—and I also want to pay tribute to her predecessor the Hon Simon Power—this was an aspect of the Government’s legislative programme that was particularly demanding and particularly effective and perhaps most important particularly welcomed by the public of New Zealand.  
There is no question that for many many years there has been a concern that we have had a justice system that has to a large extent marginalised victims and put far too much emphasis on to the rights of offenders. In a civilised society of course offenders have rights. But one of the most distressing things for victims in quite serious trials in New Zealand has been that they arrive at court only to realise that they are completely marginalised and in many cases they are re-traumatised by the experiences that they are put through. So I want to canvass just a couple of the issues in the time I have available today to point out to the Committee just what significant progress is being made. 
 Before the House at the moment of course is the Victims of Crime Reform Bill. This is a very important piece of legislation that will ensure that victims of some of the most serious crimes in New Zealand are heard—have a chance to be listened to—particularly with the improvements to the victim impact statements that they are now able to submit or will be able to submit and also that they are assisted.  
One of the great achievements in the previous Parliament was the introduction of the offender levy. I point that out because our opponents on the other side of the House scoffed at it when we suggested it mocked it as it went through the House and told us it would not work. Well look at the results. In its first year the offender levy collected double what was anticipated and although it may not be a huge sum of money we are talking about in the region of $2 million that is now available for victims of crime to receive counselling receive assistance with accommodation costs when they have to move to a major centre in order to take part in a trial and to help with a number of other matters that are very expensive for them and just add to the huge hurt and suffering that they have all endured. So I want to congratulate everybody who was involved in that initiative and say what a fantastic way forward it is. I look forward to hearing that it continues to become more and more successful over the years ahead.  
We are as a Government reforming our justice system to put a stronger emphasis on victims because victims of crime find themselves caught up in the midst of our criminal justice system not only through no fault of their own but in circumstances that most of us absolutely shudder at the thought of. To find that a member of your family has been affected by one of the most gruesome crimes and then suddenly you are at the heart of a criminal trial is just the most appalling experience which all of us would naturally wish to avoid. Not only do we want to protect the interests of those victims and make the system a little bit more friendly supportive and sensitive to their needs but also we are very much committed to building a safer New Zealand. So we have embarked on a comprehensive programme of reform to protect our communities prevent crime and put victims first.  
I think it was a very appropriate step that the current Minister moved up from her previous role as Minister of Police and Minister of Corrections because while she was exercising those responsibilities which she also did with tremendous effect she was able to advance the cause of looking at laws that in some cases needed considerable strengthening to give the police more powers. Now as Minister of Justice she is able to complete the picture and ensure—[ 
Interruption 
] Thank you Mr Faafoi. I am so pleased that Mr Faafoi is enjoying this speech and I trust that in a moment he will rise to his feet and continue to sing the praises of the Minister because well do those praises deserve to be sung and I know that Mr Faafoi is an ideal candidate to do that. It is an important matter. Although it is good to have some humour in the discussion it is also really important that we focus on law and order and justice initiatives. They are absolutely right at the forefront of this Government’s agenda because they matter so much to all New Zealanders.