Party’s policy a ‘mishmash’

Press, 20 February 1987, Page 3

Party’s policy a ‘mishmash’

Wellington reporter

The National Party’s policy on law and order was a tired old superficial mishmash, said the Minister of Justice, Mr Palmer, and the Minister of Police, Mrs Hercus, yesterday. In a joint statement the two Ministers said that the policy ignored the Government’s own moves on law and order, and contained a number of glaring omissions. Key legislation ignored by the policy included the Crimes Amendment Act, which increased penalties for violent crime, and the Rape Reform Bill, which provided for almost automatic imprisonment for sexual violation.

Also ignored were bills before the House providing for an independent examiner of complaints against the police, tighter parole regulations, and the protection of undercover police.

The Government also supported a private member’s bill dealing with vic-

tims’ rights and it had improved reparation laws, the Ministers said.

They also said that the National Party policy did not mention the Roper Committee on Violence, which is due to report later this month, violence against women, and community involvement in the justice system.

National had. promised sti|W gang laws, but not

one gang law had been introduced when it was in Government.

“People should remember the National Party’s record,” the two Ministers said.

The Opposition’s policy on law and order was the first step towards a police State, said the president of the Auckland Council for Civil Liberties, Mr Philip Recordon. The policy, which would allow wider use of electronic surveillance, had serious shortcomings,, he said. Granting the police increased powers to use “bugging” methods simply gave them more power.

Mr Recordon, a lawyer, said the most disturbing aspect of the policy was its “Big Brother” quality. In spite of assurances by senior National members of Parliament that civil liberties would be protected, the policy opened the way for wholesale surveillance of anyone the police wanted to watch.