Database Gains Support

Friday 6 Jun 2003
Deborah Coddington
Press Releases -- Crime & Justice

ACT MP Deborah Coddington is very hopeful that with the support of Justice Minister Phil Goff, her legislation to create a central database of sex offenders will pass into law.

"The release of a convicted paedophile into a Palmerston North suburb has heightened public awareness of the risks of releasing offenders without ongoing supervision.

"The sensational media attention and debate over naming offenders would be made redundant by legislation such as mine.

"When my bill goes to Select Committee, there will be the opportunity to incorporate a range of new measures, such as those that Phil Goff is discussing.

"I believe that in the absence of a sex offenders registry, TV3 made the right decision in naming the offender. I have also named the man on the ACT website in previous press releases.

"I have been lobbying MPs from every political party to support my Sex Offenders Registry Bill, which was drawn from the ballot in March, and will be debated for the first time when I return from London.

"I am hopeful that politicians from across the political spectrum will recognise that it is in the public's interest to have a Canadian-style central register of offenders, available to the police and other agencies approved by the Ministers of Justice and Police.

"My discussions with MPs have so far been very successful.

"While there is still a long way to go, I do hope that politicians will realise that this is one issue where the public interest strongly outweighs party politics," Miss Coddington said.

Miss Coddington's draft legislation is available on the ACT website at (http://www.act.org.nz/sexoffender)

ENDS

For more information visit ACT online at http://www.act.org.nz or contact the ACT Parliamentary Office at act@parliament.govt.nz.

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