Key is talking ‘toughening’ the law in the wake of the Waihopai 3 acquittals. He clearly doesn’t understand that a jury decision, let alone one in a district court, has no precedent effect. Others Nats are muttering about canning jury trials. It’s scary the way the Nats resort to heavyhanded tactics so quickly. They never work either, just ask the boyracers in their uncrushed cars.
Paul Quinn’s Electoral (Disqualification of Convicted Prisoners) Amendment Bill appears to be unjustifiably inconsistent with the electoral rights affirmed by s 12 of the Bill of Rights Act.
That’s the view of Attorney General Chris Finlayson, whose National Party is supporting the bill to select committee regardless.
The light sentences handed down to most of the group that killed Navtej Singh have caused consternation within the NZ Indian community. With the Human Rights Commission today releasing a statement on worrying trends of racism in NZ, now is a terrible time for the legal system to be sending all the wrong messages.
Sometimes you get a really pleasant surprise and I got one today from Garth George. Despite being a pretty old school conservative he gives a stunning rebuke of the knee-jerk authoritarianism/fascism/randianism that so often characterises the thinking of the Right these days and was recently highlighted by David Garrett’s call for sterilisation of the poor.
An ugly side of the Right, one that a lot of people thought was long defeated, has reemerged in recent weeks. Yesterday we had David Garrett’s ‘sterilise the poor because they might become criminals or breed criminals’ and last week we had arguably more disturbing comments from Judith Collins about how she wanted to restore “fear” of the Police.
The National / ACT “three strikes” policy on violent crime sentencing is the worst kind of law.
It has been thoroughly condemned by the Justice Ministry, who were blocked from giving advice to select committee.
BLiP puts his distinctive view on why the police have been losing “the respect of the community” with one of his locally famous lists. He attributes it to ‘Crusher’ Collins and wonders why John Key is cluessly fronting PR wanting stronger sentences for disrespecting police.
A foreign politician celebrates an act of terrorism on our shores and our Prime Minister refuses to comment on the matter? WTF?
The ‘3 strikes’ policy is the kind of policy you put in place when you want to look tough on crime but you […]
Despite almost never agreeing with Fran O’Sullivan, I have respect for her. She comes from the ACT-right and her pieces reflect that but […]
No Right Turn has a post The blogosphere is not above the law. Since the beginning, there’s been a meme on the internet […]
In the US it is easier than NZ for home-owners to walk away using the jingle mail options in the US. However in […]
We are continuing our chilling progress towards a surveillance state. The Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act 2009 is another brick in the wall. Apparently […]
The government and the Police are spinning all the new security measures as a national security matter and a crack-down ONLY on the […]
The Search and Surveillance Bill is making its way though the bowels of the government law making process. This is a terrible law, […]
Why on earth is Labour supporting this police state bullshit? The article says Labour MPs were concerned about the extent of powers being […]
I think I might have joined the dots in what it is that is causing me such unease about the arrival of Crime […]
One of the most dishonest, yet most successful tactics of National in opposition was to rant on and on about the “Nanny state”. […]
Did John Key pick up a pair of cowboy boots on his latest trip? Because he’s come back talking like some kind of […]
The Wanganui District Council (Prohibition of Gang Insignia) Act 2009, which prohibits the display of gang insignia in a public place, so clearly infringes of […]
The judgment in the case of ‘high-profile political figure’ involved in a domestic violence dispute has come back. Cameron Slater has published parts […]
It’s a pretty rare thing for a conviction for manslaughter not to lead to some jail time. In the past 28 years, only […]
You may have noticed the article on Stuff about a ‘senior political figure’ in court today. A woman is seeking a protection order […]
Are you? a disgraced former minister who resigned from Parliament in shame? a National MP who rents from a National minister (Judith Collins […]
A couple of weeks ago Justice Minister Simon Power slammed Chief Justice Sian Elias for commenting on possibilities of change in the criminal […]
Thundering from the pulpit is a fine old editorial tradition, and The Herald has often held forth on the rule of law. Starting […]
Picture this: Anchor “and now we go live to whatsherface outside the High Court in Christchurch to tell us the latest in the […]
Today we saw Justice Minister Simon Power get a front-page story for proposing a ‘reform‘ of the justice system that is actually just […]
Justice Minister Simon Power: I believe we need to have an open debate about the way in which sexual violence cases are conducted. […]
Good interview with Labour’s Justice spokesperson, Lianne Dalziel this morning on her private members Bill in the ballot that would remove the defence of […]
Green MP Keith Locke investigates the claims of safety for tasers, and finds that other countries are concerned that the devices are not […]
The rednecks have predictably got themselves into a tizzy over Chief Justice Sian Elias’s comments on the need for judicial reform. I think […]
Chief Justice Dame Sian Elias has kicked off a debate on whether our justice policy is working [PDF link]. Her view is that […]
Crusher Collins to launch McPrisons(TM) Clearly envious of the regular stream of complimentary Happy Meals arriving at Paula Bennett’s Parliamentary office (Paula tells […]
Judith “Crusher” Collins, postergirl for uncompassionate conservatives, proudly announces in her latest press release: “Prison numbers set to be highest ever”. Odd thing to […]
Does anyone understand why prisons are so expensive to construct? They’ve got to be secure They’ve got to be safe for the prisoners […]
