June 12, 2018
No appetite to scrap totemic three strikes law
New Zealand First has put the frost on Labour's plans to repeal the three strikes law.
Justice Minister Andrew Little had hoped to take a proposal to cabinet this week, but scrapped the plan after feedback from its coalition partner, which is wary of National eating into its votes by promising to be tougher on crime.
New Zealand First MP Shane Jones says the party wants to see a sensible and innovative set of reforms, rather than get hung up on what is a law of totemic significance.
"We thoroughly understand the arguments but at this stage I don't think the caucus is fully convinced that's where we start. We feel there is a host of other things, not the least of which is ensuring a lot of these youngsters going into the hinaki, I'd rather have them dressed in jumpsuits planting trees and learning the value and the ethic of working, working hard, working in groups and changing lifestyle choices," he says.
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