Alexander: Dalziel's answer a cop-out

United Future's Marc Alexander today took exception to Associate Justice Minister Lianne Dalziel's "outrageous assertion" that Coral Burrows was virtually destined to die at the hands of her killer and stepfather, Steven Williams.

"If there was an inevitability about young Coral's death, it was because we have a system that allowed a violent, drug-using 88-times convicted man bail for a fourth time; it was because we have a system placed that man on home detention in a house with a two children that were not his own.

"Now I don't call that inevitable - I call that stupid policy and ludicrous judicial dilly-dallying," Mr Alexander said after Ms Dalziel's answers to his question on the issue in Parliament.

"Yes, Steven Williams was a thug of the worst kind, but when we have Government Ministers claiming such things are inevitable despite the fact that there are clear judicial flaws at play here, then we might as well all pack up and go home," Mr Alexander, United Future's law and order spokesman, said.

Two things need to happen, he said.

"First, let's get real. If we say the onus of proof is now upon the offender to prove they should be bailed, then this case puts the lie to that. It did not happen. Williams should not have got bail. Let's look at why he did.

"Second, home detention should not be possible for violent offenders or drug offenders, particularly when they are being placed into homes with young children," Mr Alexander said.

"The answer here isn't for Government to wash its hands; it's for it to roll up its sleeves," he said.

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