Three strikes policy advice blocked

Relevant offers

Politics

Shake-up heading in EQC's direction Will bill make food safer or be a form of control? Brownlee turns up heat on council over rebuild Agency mulled to run emergency 111 system MPs' travel bills leap during election Remedial work for navy's problem ship Wait for new oil law before awarding permits, Govt urged TVNZ included in police Electoral Act investigation Sea law 'an environmental risk' Govt defends 50c an hour minimum wage lift

National and ACT have blocked the Justice Ministry from giving advice to the select committee looking at the three-strikes policy.

The move has fuelled speculation that Justice Minister Simon Power is uncomfortable with the policy.

Mr Power was at a funeral the day National and ACT announced the policy and, in an unusual move, Police Minister Judith Collins has taken the lead role. Police are now the lead advisers, with the Corrections Department assisting.

It is understood it is only the second time police have been asked to take the lead on a justice bill. The previous time was the car-crushing law, also promoted by Ms Collins.

However, Mr Power has said he is comfortable with the law and with police taking over the prime role.

The committee, chaired by National MP Sandra Goudie, also blocked Labour's dissenting minority report criticising its actions. That included a decision to limit further hearings on the bill to written submissions from those who had submitted on specific clauses only. Submissions close on March 5.

Labour MP Clayton Cosgrove said there were good constitutional reasons for the Justice Ministry to lead sentencing legislation: police arrest, but do not sentence.

The committee had been denied access to the agency that clearly had the most knowledge and experience of sentencing laws. "Clearly National and ACT are rattled and just want to get the bill out of the way as quickly as they can."

The bill would see those who commit certain violent crimes get a warning on their first offence, full sentence with no parole for a second offence and the maximum sentence with no parole for a third offence.

Green Party MP David Clendon also attacked the committee process. "What we saw today ... was a joke. The Nats aren't letting people have their say and they won't let the opposition put in a minority report, which shows how flawed and ineffective this legislation is."