Pillay Lynne: Criminal Justice Reform Bill — Second Reading 
Pillay Lynne: Criminal Justice Reform Bill — Second Reading 
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LYNNE PILLAY (Labour—Waitakere) 
: 
 It is a pleasure to stand in the House in support of the Criminal Justice Reform Bill. In speaking to this bill I firstly thank the members of the Justice and Electoral Committee the staff the officials those who made submissions the members of the judiciary who spoke to the committee and the Law Commission which put so much time into its report on servicing guidelines and parole reform which was the basis of this legislation. 
This Labour-led Government is committed to a society where all families both young and old are safe and secure. Central to this commitment is having a criminal justice system that protects our communities by more effectively rehabilitating offenders and making much better and more effective use of our prisons. If we look at the current prison inmate numbers in New Zealand we see that they are no longer sustainable—not only financially but also socially. Our prison population has increased sharply over the last decade and is forecast to increase further over the next 5 years. This peak has been reached even though at this point in time the rate of recorded crime is at its lowest level in over 20 years. 
We need a transparent and more effective rehabilitation system when we are dealing with offenders. The Government’s Effective Interventions package which was announced in August puts the commission’s recommendations into practice and this bill ensures that the Effective Interventions programme falls into place and is actually effective as such. 
The clauses in this bill draw most of the parts of the Effective Interventions programme together. Part 1 establishes a Sentencing Council. The job of the Sentencing Council will be to issue guidelines for judges helping to create better and more consistent sentencing across New Zealand. I was disappointed to hear from Simon Power that the National Party opposes this bill based on the provision for the Sentencing Council. I see the Sentencing Council as very much a major leap forward. In consideration of a judicial submission the bill now provides for the chairperson of the council to be a member of the judiciary appointed by the Chief Justice with a deputy chair to be one of the non-judicial members. This will ensure judicial confidence in the council and we know that that is crucial to the success of these guidelines. But we also know that under the bill it is the chairperson who holds the casting vote. I believe that that gets a real balance in the Sentencing Council and I know that in time with the support of other members—sadly not those in the National Party—we will see an effective Sentencing Council with guidelines that show consistency in sentencing. I think that is very important not only to victims but also to prisoners as well. 
Home detention will be made a sentence in its own right. That is very useful for people who would otherwise receive only a short time in prison which would certainly not reap the same rewards one would think as the new role of home detention. Building on that are the two community-based sentences community detention and intensive supervision. They will put greater emphasis on giving offenders work and life skills. We all know that if these people achieve and maintain those life skills and training skills—the ability to work and to be productive—once those people integrate back into society those skills will assist them to steer away from returning to a life of crime in the future. 
I have heard other speakers acknowledge that there will be truth in sentencing. The option of parole after serving one-third of a sentence will no longer be the case. Prisoners will not be eligible for parole until they have served two-thirds of their sentence. I think this is very important. Victims want clarity and certainty in sentencing and in this way they will feel that justice has been done. 
I also want to speak very briefly on the sunset clause. I heard Simon Power acknowledge that the Green Party and National Party members oppose the retention of the sunset clause and that saddens me. I note that they do so for quite different reasons. I think the select committee report was very tactical in that they were able to voice their opposition in such a way that it did not really show their points of difference. I was disappointed that the amendments to the Prisoners’ and Victims’ Claims Act 2005 were struck out. I believe that extending the sunset clause would be of great benefit to victims in New Zealand and I am disappointed that it did not receive the support of other parties. If the sunset clause is not extended it will mean that from 1 July prisoners will once again become eligible for compensation in accordance with the law but it will be much more onerous for victims to argue to get a share of any compensatory payments made to prisoners. If prisoners receive compensation while they are in prison and that compensation is deserved then that should certainly be the case but it is very much natural justice that if they do have some compensation awarded to them their victims are able to make a claim against them to get a share of that compensatory payment. This clause should be seen very much as a positive move for victims and I am very hopeful that it will get support—if not from National or Green members then from other members in this House. 
It was a pleasure to work on the Criminal Justice Reform Bill. Work on crime is not always the most fulfilling work but I think this bill will take our country forward. It will enable victims to see more justice in sentencing which is a very very positive thing and will give them some assurance. The bill will provide more clarity in terms of sentencing and parole which is also a good thing. Also in terms of the other sentencing options I think that will again be a very very big leap forward for prisoners not because they will be pampered but because they will perhaps finish their sentence with some life skills and be able to work actively in the community again. I commend this bill to the House. Thank you Mr Assistant Speaker.