Saturday, July 03, 2004
No need for Brash to write tomorrows speech on Law & Order
Stephen Franks has already done it for him. My Right was once accused of being MediaCow in drag - well that accusation might be right when it comes to Law & Order. Ahead of Brash's second big policy speech on Law & Order tomorrow, Frank's has reiterated the policy that Act has been advocating for the past 5 years. A helpful online checklist has been put together to ensure Dr Donnie Brasco doesn't miss anything out.
The highlight from the page:
"I want the word to go out on Sunday to every thief, thug, rapist and robber, that a new sheriff’s coming to town. He’ll have a new posse. They’re not suckers. They don’t accept excuses. There’ll be a price to be paid for every crime to make sure that crime no longer pays." (The page then outlines in detail the Act policy position.)Reads well - but can you imagine Frank's actually delivering it?? Now imagine Rodney delivering the same words, was the Act leadership ever really in doubt? Frank's wraps up the list with what the outcomes of a successful justice policy would be, romantic pipe dreams or realistic policy objective?
Afterwards
What will a successful criminal justice reformation look like?
We won’t need a checklist to measure success.
Yes the statistics will fall but more importantly we will go back to having the security and safety New Zealanders once took for granted.
As well as falling crime statistics we’ll know it’s working
* When security guards are going broke instead of prospering.
* When once again it’s normal for cars to be unlocked and for people to sleep in mid-summer with their ranch sliders open.
* When no part of any New Zealand city is out of bounds for women at night.
* When our personal effects insurance premiums drop.
* When Auckland is no longer clogged with cars carrying children who could be walking or biking to school.
* When young people act more from concern about their reputations than fear of the police and the courts.
* When there are aren’t enough community work offenders to tidy up the parks.
ACT’s done the thinking. ACT has voted consistently to bring justice back to the criminal legal system.
I’m looking forward to seeing our hard work become reality in an ACT/National government
Fingers crossed for Sunday’s announcement.
Go Donnie - I'll be keeping score.
