Prisoners' Compensation Insult To Armed Forces

Tuesday 21 Sep 2004

Deborah Coddington - Press Releases - Crime & Justice

The Labour Government's refusal to act quickly and end the gravy train of compensation for prisoners is an insult to those in our armed forces, ACT New Zealand Associate Justice Spokesman Deborah Coddington said today.

"How is it, Prime Minister, that someone who has stabbed, raped, murdered, innocent New Zealanders, then been locked up, can get thousands of dollars in compensation; yet those who volunteer to protect our country's freedoms are barred under the Crown Proceedings Act 1950 from getting any compensation?" Miss Coddington asked.

"Section 9 of the Act specifically states:

`Crown not liable to pay compensation or damages for death or disablement of members of New Zealand armed forces where pension may be claimed'.

"We recently saw the debacle where an 83-year-old former prisoner of war had to fight for 59 years to get unpaid wages. No way could he get compensation.

"Undoubtedly there is good reason for this section of the Act. But I've spoken with several former members of the armed forces and they are very, very unhappy with Labour's soft approach to convicted felons being able to get money from the taxpayer for so-called breaches of their `human rights'.

"The Prime Minister first invited prisoners to take the Government to court over three years ago. She now needs to end this nonsense. After all, who is more important - convicted criminals or our armed forces?" Miss Coddington said.

ENDS

© Scoop Media

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>>