While ACT are using the word ‘subhuman’ to describe gangs and comparing Opotiki to Mogadishu, National are rushing in to claim their slice of the get-tough-on-crime vote with National rehashing existing law and pretending that means something…
National is promising to create tougher sentences for gang members, adding gang membership as an aggravating factor when handed down a sentence for an offence.
However, the Green Party and Labour both say National’s proposal is already happening and “really redundant”.
The announcement comes as politicians face criticism over creating a “political football” over the Ōpōtiki’s gang funeral.
National leader Christopher Luxon said gangs “thrive by preying on the most vulnerable individuals, peddling addiction, intimidation, and widespread misery wherever they set up shop.”
…the law already allows for gang membership to be an aggravating factor in sentencing, what National will do is remove any capacity for Judges to use discretion and will instead force them to use it.
It’s is effectively forcing the judiciary to do it rather than respect their objectivity.
It’s such crude and stupid law, only National could come up with it.
National are promising to strip Judges of their agency, Winston is calling for the military to be sent in and ACT are comparing Opotiki to Mogadishu who this month saw 50 UN troops killed and in October had 2 car bombs that killed 100 and wounded 300, but sure, Opotiki is EXACTLY like Mogadishu, all the while our Prisons are creating more damaged angry men…
Some prisoners in solitary confinement for over a year – report
A review of New Zealand’s 18 prisons over a 12 month period showed thousands of inmates had experienced solitary confinement.
A report from the independent Office of the Inspectorate shows between October 1, 2020 and September 20, 2021, 5655 prisoners – or 29% of all prisoners held at that time – spent time in jail where they were segregated from social interactions.
Corrections said it did not underestimate the serious impact that segregation could have on the wellbeing of people in prison and their families, and said it was an area that needed to be addressed.
The lengthy report from the prison’s watchdog showed thousands of at-risk prisoners had spent months or even years without contact with any other prisoners, and are now susceptible to long-lasting psychological effects, such as depression and paranoia.
“We have found that many of these prisoners would likely have experienced ‘solitary confinement’ as that term is defined in the Mandela Rules – more than 22 hours a day without ‘meaningful human interaction’.
…we are so focussed on making the prisoner suffer as an act of social policy vengeance, we ignore how that process makes damaged people even more damaged.
I am no apologist for the crime and violence generated by gangs, but I’m smart enough to appreciate how they formed and why.
You get that the creators of these gangs were the kids abused by the State in State care right?
You get that for those on the bottom of society, these gangs form the only family they’ve known?
You get that the drivers of poverty manifest in these types of gangs right?
Their leader has been killed and they mourn him in their fashion and manner.
The hysteria this has generated by politicians seeking to manipulate your fear into anger that votes is obvious, yet you all take it hook, line and sinker.
Part of me wishes that ACT and National were actually in power, because what are they seriously suggesting here?
That armed Police (with the backing of the NZ Military) would suspend all civil rights and declare a state of emergency using martial law to open fire on Gang members who refuse to stop their funeral procession?
Because let’s be very clear, that’s what it would take to stop them from burying their President, armed Police (with the backing of the NZ Army) would need to open fire on them to stop them.
“Oh that’s ridiculous Bomber’, you squeal, “Just arrest them all”.
Ok.
How many Police would you draft in to arrest them all?
Even if you brought every Police Officer from around the country to arrest every gang member in Opotiki, you think that won’t immediately deteriorate into shots fired?
The problem is that these gangs are enormous and they are enormous because the generational pain and damage caused by intense poverty and societal alienation have made them enormous, suddenly wanting to shoot them all because they mourn angrily is possibly the dumbest social policy I’ve ever heard, and I was alive for Roger Douglas!
This argument that Labour cuddle crims and are soft on crime and that’s why this is happening utterly misunderstands the problem, the local Police are allowing this because they know this is the best approach to take in terms of community policing!
They know that if you attempt to stop this, there will be violence that spins out of control.
That’s why David Seymour’s ‘subhuman’ comment is so disgraceful and in fact far more terrifying than angry gang mourners because once someone is determined ‘subhuman’ by the State, the State legitimises any response.
To have the leader of the 3rd largest political party in NZ start the ‘subhuman’ game is a dangerous escalation.
We are a liberal progressive democracy, not a fucking Police State.
There are better ways to bring people out of gangs, starting a civil war isn’t really the smartest and most cost effective to do it.
Grow up FFS!
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When the judiciary start applying 85% discounts for rapists, serial rapists get Home D, gang members peddling meth get giant discounts for cultural reasons alone on top of all other discounts, people lose faith in the justice systems ability to do its job. And it’s then arbitrary sentencing is forced on Judges. This was so predictable. Honestly, our judiciary put Briscoes to shame when it comes to bargain discounts!
XRAY you comment in abstraction, judges are appointed to interperate the law and apply it with fairness to both sides.
It seems I the last 3-5 years, victims ceased being part of that “fairness” equation! And I’m not so naive to think that the judiciary do not fall under the influence of the presiding government!
Exactly XRAY!
What we have here are activist judges with a political bent based on their total lack of experience of Struggle Street. It was the same for Three Strikes – despite it being the law of the land, many judges wriggled out of applying it and caused immeasurable harm in the community by letting psychopathic offenders back on the street.
Meanwhile they sit in their Remuera mansions oblivious of the damage they do, all while feeling virtuous.
Another article that ignores victims – getting a bit silly now.
And a Maori gang member no longer faces jail time under a Labour government.
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2023/06/police-minister-ginny-andersen-attacks-new-zealand-s-prison-system-says-it-s-no-place-for-m-ori-offenders.html
“It comes as the Government on Friday kicked off the multi-million-dollar extension of Te Pae Oranga, a scheme where offenders are placed before community panels instead of the courts.”
So not only will gang members not face jail, they will not even be accountable to the justice system as all other non-Maori New Zealanders.
So we have separate system for Maori in justice and law enforcement plus in health as well.
The backlash is going to be massive for Labour
While its true the long-term solution to gangs is tackling things like poverty, there is a much more simple short term solution that no-one is discussing: Legalize meth – No not the ‘sold in every corner dairy’ type of legal like with vapes, but like with the methadone type of legal or decriminalized ‘sold from the chemist with a script from your doctor’.
This would be a great way to defund the gangs, making them and their lifestyle (cash, flash clothes, gold chains, bikes, cars) much less desirable to children. It would also end the crime related to coming up with the money addicts need to get their fix.
Now while were at it and we now have gained control over the drug: Let’s make it safer. It’s a no brainer, there are safer analogues of amphetamines out there. Lets get those and mix them up in a form that can only be used orally, not smoked or injected. Now let’s add the amino acid precursors (L-tyrosine, 5-HTP) to the neurotransmitters (dopamine, serotonin) depleted by meth, along with the required vitamin and mineral co-factors. Now lets provide the addict with loads on information on how to wean off the stuff. How about switching to a safer drug all together, which can also be purchased at same chemist? This is harm reduction.
Now with all the money made selling legal meth at chemists and saved from no longer fighting the war on meth/drugs and solving all the associated crime, re-direct this mega cash toward poverty and the other conditions that are fueling the growth in gangs. Too simple huh? 😉
too simple mate – in a world where meth is a shit drug no-one bothers with – NZ is cartel central.
There’s actually something to the Mogadishu comparison. Between 2000 and 2006 the indigenous, homegrown ICU was able to wipe out the various criminal gangs that the US financed to destroy Somalia, before a US-sponsored invasion from the regime then in power of Ethiopia that dropped the entire country into chaos again.
Bringing in a bunch of upper-middle class WEIRD social workers from Wellington and Auckland isn’t going to fix Opotiki’s problems.
Nope. They need Raylan Givens.
Perhaps we could focus on one of the other gangs in our society THE POLICE!
I know which one I would want as a neighbor
me too – and it wouldn’t be the po po. bloody shift workers are the worst.
Our corrections system has assisted the growth of the gangs; increasing sentences under the current system will only continue that growth. Until we change the prison model, fund and staff it adequately, don’t expect any improved outcome. Politicians promoting longer sentences without detailing what changes they will implement in the corrections system are the problem, not the solution.
Indeed, our prisons are a disgrace. At best they’re warehousing crims.
Now if we had newly built, modern prisons with single bunking and opportunities for rehabilitation that would make a difference, wouldn’t it?
But we don’t have those facilities because Kelvin Davis cancelled the projects when Labour came into office!
Labour cancelled new highways and new prisons both desperately needed. Bring on the change in October
National canceled upgrades in health and education services and infrastructure, canceled real time wages to meet a low wage economy, all were desperately needed.
No change needed October unless your deaf as well as dumb.
Appreciate the insightful readers comments today. Thank you.
lol – at this stage it wouldn’t surprise me if National announce a ban on alcohol and hand the gangs more black market free enterpirse opportunities.
Lets have a War on Gangs. It’ll be about as successful as all the other wowser wars. SH the MMM.
I love how all the wet and whiny whingers all cling to the government for protection. Big “C” conservatism has to be the most hypocritical political position of them all. A close second are the big “P” progressives aka unionists. Both rely on the status quo to remain and have no interest in reformist or traditional roles at all – it’s all about the feudal power and keeping everyone in their place. If the ACT party are far right I’d love to see what a nationalist party would be. Ultra Right? what about a true socialist reform party. Ultra left? complete centrist bollocks.
I have been watching Rowan Atkinson give a demonstration of how English public (priavte) schools are administered. I am sure that NZ schools are very different and I can understand the complaints emerging about the teaching profession here which is no doubt very plebeian. Schoolmasters will no doubt want to follow the USA mode where apparently everyone feels they know everything anyway and the students’ object is to impress this on the hapless teacher, or that is my impression.
Rowan Atkinson is very dedicated to proper behaviour by students and will brook no shilly-shallying. We should send our 501s to his academy. Though I have heard that the firm on contract to the government, which is running our prisons is trying various methods rather similar to that in the link.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppVpdsClN80
“too woke to joke”. crackup
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