Party 23 years too late
The New Zealand Party’s intention to repeal the crime of attempted suicide has come 23 years too late.
Attempted suicide as a crime was abolished when the Crimes Act, 1908, was reviewed in 1961. Until then offenders were liable to two years imprisonment. The announcement, made by the party's president, Mr Malcolm McDonald, this week while outlining part of the party’s policy on law and reform, said that at-
tempted suicide, with homosexuality and prostitution, were “victimless" crimes which the New Zealand Party intended repealing. Mr McDonald said yesterday that the error had been realised and regretted. It should have been researched more thoroughly but was simply an innocent mistake by the party’s law and order committee. “It is a little naive to think that everything that is announced is checked scrupulously,” he said.
He was a commercial lawyer, not a criminal lawyer, and was “not meant to know those things.” Under the present statute, it is a crime to aid and abet suicide and/or to enter into a suicide pact. Special provision for the latter was made when attempted suicide was abolished from the Crimes Act.
The New Zealand Party's full policy on law and order is expected to be given in Auckland later this month.
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Press, 14 June 1984, Page 9
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212Party 23 years too late Press, 14 June 1984, Page 9
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