Mark Ron: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Mark Ron: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:613;Page:10062] 
7.  
RON MARK (NZ First) 
 to the  
Minister of Justice 
: Is he confident that major changes in sentencing laws parole laws and victims’ rights laws have improved outcomes for society? 
Hon PHIL GOFF (Minister of Justice) 
: 
 Yes the Victims’ Rights Act for example has been strongly endorsed as a major step forward by victims groups and specifically by Victim Support. The tougher stance taken against the worst offenders under the Sentencing Act and the Parole Act such as the longest ever non-parole periods—25 years and 30 years respectively—for Howse and Bell have also been widely welcomed across the community. 
Ron Mark 
: What undertaking and assurances can he give that individual security officers charged with the responsibility of responding to alarm activations and checking home detainees are not suddenly being confronted and endangered by armed and violent home detainees under the influence of methamphetamine? 
Hon PHIL GOFF 
: If the member wants a specific answer I suggest he puts a specific question and if he has any information about that he should first of all have reported it to the police. But if he reports it to me I would be happy to have it investigated if indeed he has such information. 
Tim Barnett 
: Is the Minister confident that changes relating to preventive detention will allow those who constitute a serious and ongoing risk to society to be given sentences that ensure that society is protected? 
Hon PHIL GOFF 
: Yes preventive detention is being strengthened in three particular ways. Firstly it has been extended to now cover 36 serious violent and sexual offences; secondly it applies from the age of 18 not 21; thirdly it no longer requires the prerequisite of an earlier serious offence. This sentence allows an offender to be detained indefinitely. 
Marc Alexander 
: How can the Minister have confidence in a sentencing and parole regime that continues to fail victims and their expectations of justice given that when sentences are imposed they will by default still allow offenders the very real possibility of serving only one-third of their sentence? 
Hon PHIL GOFF 
: The member will be aware of several Court of Appeal cases that state quite clearly that where a longer minimum period is required for purposes of deterrence and denunciation of a particular offence up to two-thirds can be imposed. The member will also be aware that that is being clarified in current legislation before the House. The member will also be aware that offenders who now constitute an ongoing risk can and will be detained until the very last day of their sentence. 
Stephen Franks 
: How is it a better outcome to have in the first year after the Minister’s new sentencing and parole laws took effect 4500 more people robbed raped or bashed than in the year he first took power? 
Hon PHIL GOFF 
: The member will be aware that sentencing is one factor in terms of crime prevention. We hope it is a deterrent. Unfortunately too many studies around the world show that it is not a major deterrent. If we want to deal with violent offenders the research—equally international—shows that the best way to begin that is by dealing with the environments that create violent offenders particularly poor parenting and the lack of early intervention. Those sorts of factors need to be part of the solution and not simply the tough sentencing regime that this Government has put in place. 
Ron Mark 
: In respect of the Minister’s answer to my first supplementary question can he explain how it is that in the last week two security officers have been hospitalised by armed home detainees who were high on P and how many more children will have to hear that their fathers who work for private security companies checking on criminals living at home have been hospitalised by crazed P-using crims before he admits that home detention has been an abject failure? 
Hon PHIL GOFF 
: It is very easy to raise cases that have never been put before the House or to the best of my knowledge to the police. If they have not been put to the police they should be because a criminal offence has been committed. The member should not come into the House and grandstand; he should report that information to the police so that it can be acted upon. 
Hon Tony Ryall 
: Is it not about time the Minister accepted that every single one of the violent offences that has happened on home detention has been perpetrated by somebody who was on back-end home detention that his Government brought through this House and is it not time that those criminals were kept in jail rather than at home? 
Hon PHIL GOFF 
: I would expect the member as a former Minister of Justice to know that back-end home detention was introduced in 1995. It was kept in place by National for 4 years and then another Minister put in place front-end home detention. That Minister’s name was Tony Ryall. 
Ron Mark 
: I seek the leave of the House to table an email that details the assault on two security officers whilst they were visiting people on secure home detention. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that email. Is there any objection? There is.