Chester Borrows MP
National Party Associate Law & Order Spokesman
&
Anne Tolley MP
National’s Associate Welfare (CYF) Spokeswoman

3 November 2006

Public need National to implement youth crime policy

National MPs Chester Borrows and Anne Tolley say the Government has been forced to admit National’s got the right idea when it comes to youth crime.

“A National Government would already be well advanced on plans to toughen up sentences for young offenders, given that it was our policy at the last election,” says Mr Borrows, who is National’s Associate Law & Order spokesman.

“This is classic Labour. Talk tough then don’t deliver. They promised to tackle youth crime on their 1999 pledge card. We’ve heard it all before.”

A former detective, Mr Borrows says “this is yet more evidence that Labour’s totally run out of ideas.”

National went into the 2005 election with youth crime policies including:

* Giving the Youth Court power to issue new parenting orders.
* Investigation of longer sentencing options for the Youth Court.
* Introduction of a new ‘behaviour correction contract’.
* Auditing and improving school truancy programmes.
* Limiting Family Group Conferences and have children referred to the Youth Court more promptly.

National’s Associate Welfare spokeswoman Anne Tolley says the proposal to beef up sentences at youth residential facilities is “laughable” in light of the current overcrowding crisis at the CYF facilities.

“They haven’t been smart enough to plan for enough beds as it is and kids are being held in cells meant for adults up and down the country. Labour’s known about the looming crisis in bed numbers for months, but has done little to find a solution. They simply don’t care until it hits the headlines.”

ENDS

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