Figures released by the Ministry of Justice make a mockery of claims by the Opposition that career criminals will get their records sealed under the Government’s Clean Slate bill, Justice Minister Phil Goff said.

“National’s Wayne Mapp states that serial burglars will get their slate wiped clean. Unfortunately for Dr Mapp, the facts fail to support his wild claims.

“Justice Ministry figures show in 1995 that of 714 people convicted of burglary with five or more previous convictions, NONE would be covered by the proposed Clean Slate legislation.

 514 were given a custodial sentence.
 189 were given non-custodial sentences, but had been imprisoned previously.
 11 were given a non-custodial sentence in 1995, had not been imprisoned previously, but were reconvicted within two years of the 1995 conviction.

“That leaves a net figure of zero career burglars who would have qualified to have their records sealed.

“Dr Mapp’s scare-mongering is out of step with the widespread support for the Bill.

“The Law Society, the Insurance Council, employment experts and the Canterbury Employers Chamber of Commerce are among those to back the move.

“I have received many letters from people who continue to be discriminated against for minor offences committed many years ago who just want to get on with their lives and not be punished disproportionately.

“The Clean Slate bill is just one element of this Government’s justice strategy. We have also toughened up on bail, have law about to be passed for with stronger parole and sentencing measures and have a bill before Parliament that enhances victims rights,” Mr Goff said.

Ends

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Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>