Less than two weeks to go and it seems clear that Aotearoa is looking like leaning to the right, and good old Winston could once again be the king maker.
I have followed the political electioneering very closely because a big chunk of the rhetoric going on is about law and order, obviously important to the safety of our communities but also the economic cost of spiraling crime is insurmountable.
Have I seen any real standout solutions? For me the answer is no. `
Last week Christopher Luxon said on national TV his policy was to take gang patches off nine thousand gang members. I’m not sure what he thinks that will achieve but it certainly will not stop any crime that gangs are involved in, and I would suggest, as the chief political science advisor told Luxon earlier this year, targeted gang enforcement runs the risk of strengthening gang cohesion and reinforcing anti-social attitudes.
Youth crime is another big concern that I feel is not being addressed during this election. If we look at the statistics given to us by the Ministry of Justice, it leads us to believe that youth crime is declining, and the current spiral that the public is seeing is simply because there is more media focus on youth crime. I’m not sure if I really want to believe that but what I do know is that National and Act’s vision of Boot Camps have previously failed and are not the solution. We all need to remember that when National was last in power 80% of all youth that went through Boot Camps went on to reoffend. I would suggest that is a failure.
Interestingly the Green Party have said the ‘tough on crime’ rhetoric coming from the main parties is wrong, saying they should be focused on the drivers of crime instead. I agree with this and agree that Aotearoa should be investing in building more facilities and focusing on community-led projects. It has been clearly proven when the community is resourced to step up in place of youth justice facilities, they are having better outcomes than youth justice facilities.” Good policy Greens.
For me one of the big misses in this election is policing. How we are policed is so important. We all hear politicians repeatedly saying “we will put more police on the street and that is all very well, but where are the questions on how we are policed. Who holds the police to account when they make life changing mistakes, a lot of recent ones on purpose just to secure a conviction, but never to be held to account. Where is the political discussion on this?
Act has made it clear that they intend on building more prisons, where the Maori party are talking of abolishing prisons completely. Meeting them in the middle, once again are the Green Party whose policy is to incorporate the Norwegian prison system where people live in normal houses, still detained, but treated like humans and rehabilitated. To me the benefits of this thinking is not only around human and successful rehabilitation but also the huge economic benefits to Aotearoa.
Social justice Aotearoa has been considering its public position over the past few months and have written policy around our vison of the judicial/policing future of Aotearoa. This policy is currently being signed off by our board we will be releasing in over the next six days, via Daily Blog.
We see our policy as being user friendly but also holding all people involved in policing and the judiciary accountable for everything that happens within their department and consequences for breaking the law within the law.
One big vision we have and will not back down from is independence within any government department and we are calling for all governments inquiry’s to be led by people who are not citizens of Aotearoa.
In closing and with only two weeks to go before the election, I wanted to pick three seats that I think are going to be hard political fighting grounds.
Tamaki Makaurau central. National and Chloe Swarbrick what a battle that will be, also let’s watch Epsom as National are actively campaigning in Epsom instead of giving it to the Act Party and lastly Northland which will be Shane Jone’s last hoorah.
Jackie Foster, CEO, Social Justice Aotearoa
If you want an example of what’s wrong with our justice system, look no further than this instance:
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/133044304/samurai-sword-road-rage-man-gets-home-detention-for-callous-and-cowardly-attack-on-dogwalker?fbclid=IwAR2lIVH_HGac2FkJkm1VIIBiU7o0UZJ0PDlcX85zmlEZg5bnGzAWCZsNHF8
Home D for attacking a person with a sword, leaving him permanently disabled!!! FFS
Of course, the Greens are correct in saying that we should address the cause rather than the symptoms. But what they won’t tell you is that the cause (as shown by lots of research both here in NZ an overseas) is long term welfare dependency and children being raised by solo mothers.
Seriously Andrew are you trying to tell us that welfare dependent families are more likely to commit crimes that none dependent families? I grew up in Taita Lower Hutt predominantly government housing and a lot of welfare dependent families, not because their parents didn’t work but they were certainly topped up by some kind of support as is the case today. lets be realistic over 60% of families in New Zealand get some form of support from the government but they are not criminals.
Jackie and SJA are doing a great job trying to identify what the real drivers of crime are like poverty, dysfunctional families, mental health to name but a few but never has she suggested beneficiaries are driving crime.
I applaud SJA and yes the Green party for raising the real issues driving crime in Aotearoa, instead of stigmatising families and the disadvantaged.
Ilam will decide the next government. No other electorate can influence or distort the makeup of parliament so dramatically. Epsom, Tamaki Makaurau and Northland are all foregone conclusions.
Epsom – ACT (David’s Profile)
Tamaki Makaurau – Greens (Chlöe’s Profile)
Northland – National (voter turnout , I like Willow-Jean Prime but she will be a victim of Labours inability to deliver )
None of the three mentioned in the opinion piece will change the composition of parament. They will just decide list or electorate MP’s for their respective parties. Ilam on the other hand could influence party composition.
Yes agree on Tamaki Makaurau and Northland but I still believe that Epsom could go National now that they have a candidate.
Poverty. Poverty. Poverty.
Until poverty is sufficiently addressed, the economic cost and social harm will continue to spiral.
Not looking forward to a NACT government the lower socio-economic classes are going to find the going even tougher IMHO.
Wonderful comment and totally agree,
Jackie, you have put a lot of consideration into your thinking and comments and I am looking forward to reading SJA policy. Finally an independent NGO that is not government funded prepared to speak out.
Jackie a simple question.
I have followed your blogs since they started. I follow SJA on Facebook and it’s great that your journeys are published for all to see.
You have met with Mark Mitchelle National, Golriz Ghahraman Greens, Toni Severn Act, all who are policing Justice or Corrections spokespersons.
In your honest opinion which party would you prefer to be in government overseeing you areas of advocacy?
Thank you.
Hi Brent
A good question that I have been asked many times.
As CEO of SJA I need to be a political but in saying that I do have opinion on what political party would be better suited for the issues I advocate on.
SJA is focused on fair open and just policing and justice and all we hear from the right, being National and ACT is punitive policy and I believe in some respects taking away common human rights. Policy that is not thought out and has proven to not work previously.
Turning to the left side we see the Maori party focusing on Maori issues but also good policy for Aotearoa in general but the party that is talking the really good thought out costed ideas has to be the Green Party, where they talk of a prison system that is humane and focuses on rehabilitation and a youth justice system that will be beneficial to all of us both from a reduction in crime perspective as well as and economic perspective.
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