19 July 2002

Falealii Prime Candidate For Life Means Life

The families of murder victims John Vaughan and Marcus Doig would have a right to feel disappointed with the sentence handed down to Ese Junior Falealii this morning, says National's Justice spokesperson, Wayne Mapp.

"So too would the hundreds of thousands of New Zealanders who wanted tougher sentences for the worst criminals. The murders committed by Falealii, described in Court today as 'senseless, callous and brutal' make him a prime candidate for life means life.

"National would put this murderer away for life. Falealii has forfeited his right to be in society and it is clear that the public must be protected from him.

"Justice Minister, Phil Goff, has consistently argued that there's nothing in his lukewarm Sentencing and Parole Reform Bill to "stop a judge imposing much longer non-parole periods of 20-40 years". Mr Goff's Bill clearly isn't working when today Ese Junior Falealii, who brutally murdered two defenceless men, was given a non-parole period of 17-years, nine months. Where's the justice is that?

"What's truly anomalous is that serial rapists Malcolm Rewa and Joseph Thompson were given minimum non-parole periods of 22 years and 25 years respectively. A double murderer gets 17 years.

"92% of New Zealanders called for tough action against violent criminals, but the Government ignored them. National will lock up the worst murderers for life and we will ensure that serious violent offenders don't get early parole," says Dr Mapp.

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