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Greens co-leader Marama Davidson is challenging National to join a cross party effort to reform the criminal justice system.
The first report from the Safe and Effective Justice Advisory Group led by former National Party MP Chester Borrows has highlighted failings in the system, especially with the way Māori are more harshly treated.
Ms Davidson says it's widely recognised by people within the system that it is inherently racist.
She says while there has been a lot of cross party work this political term, National has seemed unwilling to listen to the evidence and has continued to push a tough on crime approach.
"It should never have been political. It should never have been a partisan issue. It should always have been about what is going to make whānau and community flourish safer and if that was the case the National Party would never have used their tactics to whip up un-researched and non-evidence-based fear merely for political points," Ms Davidson says.
The Greens would like to see a system that picks up on restorative justice principles that demand true accountability from those who commit crime – but does not necessarily involve prison bars.
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