Collins Judith: Parole (Extended Supervision) and Sentencing Amendment Bill — In Committee 
Collins Judith: Parole (Extended Supervision) and Sentencing Amendment Bill — In Committee 
[Volume:618;Page:14178] 
JUDITH COLLINS (National—Clevedon) 
: 
 Is it not about time we stopped playing politics with the victims of child sex abuse? National is supporting this bill for one reason and one reason only. It is a small improvement on the treatment of convicted paedophiles and their behaviour in the community after they are released. It is a small improvement but at least it is a move in the right direction. Having sat through the speeches tonight and having heard New Zealand First castigate this bill and the people who vote for it I would like to ask where they were in the select committee voting. Did they vote for this bill or did they vote against it? The answer is that they voted for the bill. It is not good enough to come into this House use the victims of child sex abuse in this way and talk about this bill and say: “We’re not going to vote for it because it’s not good enough.” 
The fact is that we know it is not good enough but it is a step in the right direction and we have already signalled to this House that after the next election a National-led Government will improve this even more. We will sort this out in a big way. In the meantime are we to allow convicted paedophiles to sit and think about how they can molest little children and do nothing about it? We know the supervision scheme is bad but if it saves one child from a paedophile I for one and the National Party will say: “Thank goodness for that.” But the trouble is that we will not know which children are saved by this regime. What we will know about are those who fall through the gaps. But if it saves one child—and I believe that the main purpose and intent of this bill is to save those children—it will be worth it until after next year when we are in power and we can sort it out properly. It is an improvement and that is why we are voting for this bill. There is no point in coming into this Committee and saying in a grandstanding way: “This bill’s not good enough so we won’t vote for it.” It is not in fact going backwards; it is actually affecting these people. It is to do with people who were not sentenced under the preventive detention regime. That was not available then to them. It is now available and consequently this is retrospective legislation. 
I am appalled to see that people voted against this—as I noted at the select committee—because it is retrospective legislation. The only people I noticed who are against this bill are those who are consistently and constantly concerned with the rights of child sex abusers. Every single civil libertarian did not like this bill. Every single one came along and said: “Oh it’s bad.” That should be a signal to every right-thinking person in this Chamber that it is in fact an improvement on the current law— 
Stephen Franks 
: And the New Zealand Law Society. 
JUDITH COLLINS 
: And the New Zealand Law Society—I put them on that particular list. 
Hon Member 
: Pinkos! 
JUDITH COLLINS 
: They definitely are a bunch of pinkos on these sorts of issues. Of course they feel that they have to do that because they are there they say to look after the rights of everyone just not necessarily the rights of the victims of child sex abuse. That is why we are voting for the bill. [ 
Interruption 
] I am shocked to hear the former Minister Lianne Dalziel shouting out against us on this bill. I was convinced by her argument in the select committee. [ 
Interruption 
] I say thank you very much to Ms Pillay for her confirmation that I am right and she is wrong. Well done! I always knew there was hope for that member. 
I have to say that the Government at least has made an attempt not much of an attempt but at least an attempt. It does not help that people are now given parole after serving one-third of their sentence but at least it is an improvement. We are pleased to be able to do that. I understand why Ms Dalziel would like my speech to come to an end. It is just too embarrassing for her—people will hear that she has been abusing this speaker all the way through. She has been sitting there chewing gum and screaming like an old harridan. I say to Ms Dalziel that it is not a good look. In fact she does not want us to support this bill. I say to Ms Dalziel that I am sorry but I will not oblige. 
The CHAIRPERSON (Ann Hartley) 
: Just before I call the next member I have a correction to a vote. The result of the vote on the question that the amendment in the name of Nandor Tanczos to clause 10 of the Parole (Extended Supervision) and Sentencing Amendment Bill be agreed to was incorrectly announced. The correct result is Ayes 17 Noes 102.