Three strikes law to go
Andrew Little has announced that Act’s three strikes for offenders legislation is going to be repealed.
Social issues
crime
NRT: Police Discretion
Idiot/Savant at No Right Turn writes about the Police’s decision to not lay charges against former MP Todd Barclay.
National plays the lauranorda card
National is panicking and Paula Bennett has gone full dog whistle in claiming that gang members should have less rights than others.
Is Justice Binnie vindicated by the Teina Pora decision?
What we can learn about Collins, Adams and the national Cabinet from Teina Pora’s Judicial review win.
Nats repeat failed bootcamp policy in plea to rally their scared angry base
English’s “boot camp” policy is pure politics. As much as he tries to deny it, it’s more or less an exact repeat of Key’s failed 2008 attempt, it would do much more harm than good if ever implemented. More than any other flailing to date, this mess is a sign of National’s desperation.
National promises stronger, more skilled criminals
National are going to send our most “hardened” youth offenders to the Army to be trained up. If that fails, they’ll send them to adult prisons to learn their craft better.
National promises to get tough on youth crime
National has announced its policy to deal with youth crime by reannouncing a military service scheme that already exists, proposing a special category for young offenders that will have some young people seek that status and by proposing to fine parents who can’t keep their kids home at night.
Let’s get rid of these clowns
The Government’s failure to do anything about the housing crisis or about zombie cannabis is evidence they should be removed from office.
Least surprising news ever – IPCA won’t review police decision not to pursue complaint on Barclay investigation
The reason the police dropped an investigation into the PM’s political son will forever remain a mystery. Total mystery. Nothing to see here. Move along.
The Catholic Church is urging its parishoners to vote
The catholic bishops of Aotearoa have released a pamphlet urging parishoners to vote. And apart from conservative positions on euthenasia and drug liberalisation the policies they support have a decidedly progressive bent.
Benefit fraud vs white collar crime
The political hills are echoing with the aftermath of Meteri Turei’s confession of lying to WINZ, and Paula Bennett’s conciliatory and very precisely worded claim of not having done so “deliberately”. A good time to revisit the topic of benefit fraud vs white collar crime / tax evasion.
Nats panic over climbing prison population – I have some advice
The government is “seeking advice” over the skyrocketing prison population. I’m happy to oblige – but they aren’t going to like it…
The Rainbow Warrior was sunk 32 years ago today
Thirty two years ago today the French Government committed an act of Terrorism on New Zealand soil on a peaceful organisation dedicated to protecting our environment.
Paula Bennett threatens legal action over allegations
An open letter has accused Paula Bennett of serious historical crimes. Bennett has denied the allegations and threatened legal action. Facebook has removed the source documents.
Official complaint over police handling of Barclay case
With so much evidence available, why was the first police investigation into the Todd Barclay scandal dropped so quickly? This is now the subject of a complaint to the Independent Police Conduct Authority.
New information on Glenda Hughes?
On 20 June after Melanie Read’s Newsroom interview Andrew Geddis blogged about possible obstruction of justice by a National Party Board member. That was based on new information in the Barclay case, and may be why the Police have since re-interviewed Glenys Dickson.
Gower is correct – police must reopen Barclay case
English is trying, many days too late, to shut up about the scandal in his old electorate and hope that it will blow over. It won’t – too many loose ends. In particular, Patrick Gower is right, the police must now re-open the Barclay investigation.
The cigarette crime spree
The cigarette crime spree is a real problem for National. Their “law and order” credentials are in tatters.
Ban cigarettes, find a way to compensate dairy owners for a transitional period.
Māori prison?
Andrew Little is not ruling out the ‘radical’ suggestion of a prison run on Maori values: ‘Whatever we’re doing now is wrong’.
Eminem case could cost Nats big
Eminem’s lawyer on the Nats’ email chain – “Also, the focus is on not just whether it’s an infringement. But whether they can shift liability to someone else.” Typical.
National in court – is “pretty legal” good enough?
Today National, party of personal responsibility and property rights, is in court for allegedly ripping off work the work of Eminem. How stupid do you have to be to make the same mistake twice?
National’s policing problem
National is facing increasing public concern about the ability of the police to do its job properly.
NZ is number one – for domestic violence
It’s great that the government is planning some action on this shameful situation. It’s a pity that they are treating the consequences, not the underlying social problems that contribute so much to the causes, and it’s a pity that it’s taken so long.
NRT: The banality of evil
I/S at No Right Turn: “This is where National’s cuts and austerity have taken us: to a place where Corrections tortures and abuses people because it is the “cheapest” way of managing them.”
Greg O’Connor responds
In a guest post, Labour’s Ōhāriu candidate Greg O’Connor responds to some of the topics of comments in the post “Greg O’Connor selected for Ōhāriu” and elsewhere on the blogs.
Human Rights Commission calls for an inquiry – English says no
Panama Papers – Mossack Fonseca founders arrested
In the story that keeps rolling on, Mossack Fonseca founders arrested for money laundering.
Russia’s ‘traditional family values’
Constructive and positive ‘conservative’ organisations everywhere should be outraged at the way the use of ‘traditional family values’ gets corrupted, and they should be doing more to speak out against it.
Bill’s big policy flop
Fair to say that Bill English’s “big” policy announcement today was a total flop.
Positive
This is a difficult concept for the left to address in election year in New Zealand but it’s possible to be positive about 2017.
NRT: Even more expensive
NoRightTurn: The police’s illegal raid on Nicky Hager’s home has got even more expensive
Whaleoil and Rachinger – the final chapter starts
In the Manakau District Court later this morning the trial of Ben Rachinger on fraud charges related to a admitted solicitation attempt to hack this site by Cameron Slater begins. The trial is set down for 5 days. Unfortunately I won’t be there. However there aren’t any court orders to prevent me from expressing my views and advice on the trial.
Fund the Police!
Judith Collins is letting organised criminals off the hook as she insists the Police make burglary a priority.
Three strikes – seven years – for bottom pinching
The first application of “three strikes” is an example of exactly one of the main problems that opponents of the law raised. Remove discretion and you can get perverse outcomes.
In case you missed it: Nicky Hager awarded interim costs
Investigative journalist Nicky Hager has been awarded interim legal costs towards $475,082 spent suing police.
John Key’s Paradise
This really happened. Contains crimes against music, dance, fashion, and irony. Also some recent headlines from “John Key’s Paradise”…