Can we at least acknowledge the $15m to ‘fight’ P using the proceeds of crime is part of the problem?
We are a funny wee country aren’t we?
One of the most interesting things about the last 8 years in NZ has been the dumping of rational and empirical evidence based social policy. We don’t implement policy based on facts now, we implement ideologically extreme brain farts.
Look at the ‘work sets you free’ style of social welfare reforms.
None of it is based on the welfare of the individual, it is based on a right wing belief that beneficiaries are best served when they are forced to work. Look at charter schools, private prisons, throwing people off welfare, throwing people out of state housing, privatising state housing, the housing crisis, the migration scams – all allowed by free market ideology but all highly detrimental to the country.
We implement ideas that feel good to right wing people, we don’t implement policy based on rational discourse.
Take for example the current P epidemic. This has been caused in part because of the changes to the proceeds of crimes act. By lowering the evidential threshold from beyond reasonable doubt to balance of probabilities (which is in of itself a massive erosion of civil rights), Police inadvertently changed the entire economic structure of the drug industry.
If it takes you months to get a return on a cannabis crop which can be stolen by the Police with no legal protections to the individual whatsoever, then meth production with its speed and huge cashflow is a far smarter risk to take.
NZ doesn’t have the ability to be that intellectually reflective so how this move by the Police has exacerbated the drug problem is not understood by the media.
So it’s pretty hilarious that this main change is now being used to fund drug rehab. Look, allowing the Police to point the finger at anyone and take all their assets to then provide a revenue stream is as dangerous as allowing the ACC to be a 30% shareholder in a Private Prison. It starts to warp the values and interests being served. ACC for example don’t want a decrease in the incarceration rates because they derive a revenue stream from the Wiri Prison.
If Government need more money to fund a program, will they direct Police to start seizing more assets? It might ‘feel’ good to think we are taking criminal’s money to fund drug rehab programs, but the abuse of power this allows the Police is enormous.
The simple truth is that the Government have failed to stop this stuff getting through the borders and we are simply playing catch up with counter productive policies that end up making things far worse.
Little was on RNZ this morning still pushing the war on drugs like a crooked drug dealer.
Why is he such an idiot? He’ll hand the next election to Key unless someone gets in his ear.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/player?audio_id=201820334
Welfare?
National don’t believe in welfare? ,… why ,… there’s govt assisted welfare for gangs to make even bigger profits right there.
‘ We thought it was kinda handy
Take a trip and never leave the farm ‘…
Y’all come back now , y’ hear?
As I read down the list of where that $15 million will be allocated, I was quietly calculating the number of contracted consultants it will pay for.
That is exactly what this drop in-the-bucket lip service level of spare change will be spent on.
No mention was made of the measures that the National Government will be taking to reduce the deprivation, poverty, despair, lack of opportunity, low self esteem and “drug testing” scams that drive the demand for the more harmful psychoactive substances such as methamphetamine.
This is because it is the current policies of the National Government that are the driving force creating the deprivation, poverty, despair, lack of opportunity, low self esteem, and “drug testing” scams that facilitate and promote casual substance use to develop into abuse levels of consumption.
Recognising that many are desperately seeking a form of temporary escape through the use of psychoactive substances is only half the story.
Recognising what it is that so many are so desperate to seek escape from is the real story of our nation’s abuse levels of the more harmful psychoactive substances.
Acknowledging that the most harmful psychoactive substance being abused here in New Zealand is alcohol, is the first step to recovery.
I have no idea when NZ might actually attempt to take this first step, probably never.
Totally correct, hopefully some other thinking people will spread this idea widely also.
$15 million? Out of the assets seized? Thank you O mightily generous PM!
So whose assets should we seize next? Who is the greatest beneficiary of crime in New Zealand?
“….Assets worth $435.6 million have been seized under the Act since 2009. More assets were seized last financial year than any other, with assets worth $115.9m frozen by police – $39.3m more than any other year…..”
(The Herald, Sept 26 2016).
Yup you guessed it: the Consolidated Fund. We should seize those profits and distribute them among the worthy.
Taxcuts for Nats, anyone?
If it wasn’t for that wonderful (and occasionally referred to) gift of $25.00 p w to some beneficiaries, I would have thought the Government might be into tokenism.
Exactly what I thought Nick, was a piddling amount from the entire assets seized. Double Dipton must have been dribbling in ecstasy at the amount he had to play around with. To me it was obvious that the proceeds would go absolutely entirely into Police, Customs, Rehab for drug addicts and anything else directly involved with the crime proceeds.
No wonder the Government is fighting a Regional Fuel Tax for Auckland, not being able to get their grubby mitts on it would be a pain too hard to bear.