“Today’s repeal of ACT’s Three Strikes legislation shows that Labour values ideology over safe communities,” says ACT’s Justice spokesperson Nicole McKee.

“With record ram raids terrorising people up and down the country, Labour’s big message to young offenders is giving an early Christmas present to the worst murderers, robbers and rapists in the country.

“The average Three Strikes offender has 75 convictions, and just 24 people have been sentenced to a Third Strike.

“Scrapping Three Strikes means the worst criminals will serve less time in prison and be out on our streets earlier. There’s no rationale for this change other than to meet Labour’s personal goal of reducing prison numbers, no matter how much danger it puts New Zealanders in.

“Three Strikes was an ACT idea introduced in 2010 to send a signal to violent offenders that New Zealanders won’t tolerate repeated violent and sexual offending.

“There were no petty criminals being charged under the law, it applied to the worst of the worst and made our communities safer.

“Labour has been single-minded in their drive to get rid of it though, along the way they’ve forgotten about the victims of serious crime.

“This is a failure from out of touch student politicians whose idea of sound policy involves rainbows, unicorns and good intentions, but fails to deal with the reality New Zealanders face living in fear of criminals Labour just let off lightly.

“Thankfully, Kiwis won’t have to wait long for this law to be back in place. ACT is committed to reinstating Three Strikes as part of our plan for the first 100 days of Government.”

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