Maori To Benefit Most From ACT's Crime Policy

Statistics from the New Zealand Victims Survey 2001 show that Maori stand to gain the most from ACT's `Truth in Sentencing' and `Zero Tolerance for Crime' policies, ACT New Zealand Justice Spokesman Stephen Franks revealed today.

"ACT's tough stance on crime has never been sold as benefiting any particular section of the community - but Labour's own study shows that Maori are almost three times more likely to be assaulted than New Zealand Europeans," Mr Franks said.

"Maori are 50 percent more likely to be victims of property offences, like theft, and twice as likely to fall prey to violent offences. Ministers Maharey and Tamihere accused ACT of Maori bashing when we checked race-defined figures produced by their government - whose soft-on-crime policies allow Maori to be bashed at three times the rate of other New Zealanders.

"ACT's zero-tolerance on crime approach would cut Maori bashing in half - it would cut all crime in half. The international evidence is clear. We can have as much - or as little - crime as Labour is prepared to tolerate.

"That we are a world leader in crime is a national disgrace. Labour has cut spending on law and order progressively over the past four years. New Zealand's law agencies need proper resourcing to implement zero tolerance on crime for all New Zealanders," Mr Franks said.

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