Press Release
Kneejerk Response No Answer To Violent Crime

Rodney Hide MP
Tuesday June 24 2008

The last thing that New Zealanders suffering from violent crime need is yet another ill-considered kneejerk reaction from this Government - Labour could close all the liquor stores in South Auckland, and raise the drinking age to 30, and still have no effect on the level of violent crime ACT Leader Rodney Hide said today.

"Taking what's proposed to the extreme shows how ineffective the new restrictions on liquor laws will be," Mr Hide said.

"This kneejerk is typical of Labour - which responded to child abuse with the anti-smacking legislation, and responded to savage dog attacks by requiring all dogs to be micro-chipped. These policies had no effect, and nor will clamping down on liquor licences.

Labour needs to deal with the fundamental problems. The focus of our police and court system should be keeping law-abiding citizens safe from the thugs and bullies. That means a zero tolerance approach to crime, truth in sentencing, and Courts operating at night to ensure that justice is delivered promptly.

"ACT's Families at Risk policy would put mentors alongside struggling mothers - rather than simply dishing out taxpayers' money without care. Our Education policy would give a scholarship to every child to ensure they are properly catered for within our education system, and to stop more children falling through the cracks.

"Micro-chipping dogs, banning smacking and clamping down on liquor laws are about politicians responding to the polls rather than dealing with real issues. It's time that Parliament and government returned to its job of keeping citizens safe in their homes, their streets and their places of work. It's time we had the guts to do what's right," Mr Hide said.

ENDS

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