ACT leader Richard Prebble, responding to Corrections Minister Matt Robson's call for ACT to remove its 'Truth in Sentencing' billboards, said the party would do so if the Labour/Alliance government dropped the Sentencing and Parole Reform Bill.

"This Bill is going to let most violent offenders out of jail after serving just one third of their sentences. I'm telling Mr Robson that 92 percent of New Zealanders voted for tougher sentencing. That's what we need," Mr Prebble said.

"I agree with Mr Robson that it's difficult to find suitable sites for prisons, but putting a new prison on a geologically unsound site at Ngawha doesn't make sense.

"ACT has been quite upfront that our policy will require more prisons. But the cost will be nothing like what the government claims.

"Under the current policy, prison is just a revolving door, with 50 percent of early-release prisoners back inside within a year. Truth in Sentencing will just cancel their home leave," Mr Prebble said.

ENDS

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