“If Labour needed any proof their approach to crime has failed, the unspeakable machete attack in Hamilton today is it,” says ACT Leader David Seymour.

“This is a Government whose leadership put criminals at the centre of the justice system, leaving victims’ rights nowhere. Everything this Government has done has sent a message that crime is not criminals’ fault.

“The Government came in with a goal of reducing the prison population. They removed Three Strikes. They ramped up pre-sentencing reports to the point where Government spends more on funding sob stories for convicted criminals than compensating victims.

“They had 44 gang members out on home detention despite being sentenced for violent crimes. They ran down the number of secure beds at Oranga Tamariki so there’s nowhere to send young offenders.

“They contracted a gang $2.7 million to wean people off meth sold by… gangs. This Government has sent the message year after year that crime is not the responsibility of the criminal, that criminals are victims too, so maybe if they commit a crime it’s not their fault.

“The result is a hardworking honest dairy worker, an expectant father who told the criminals to take whatever they wanted getting his fingers cut off with a machete.

“What did they take? An estimated $20,000 of tobacco. Except it was about $18,000 of tax and $2,000 of tobacco. The Government is happy to take $1.9 billion of tobacco tax, and give $10 million, 0.5 per cent of that, back for fog cannons and security.

“A disgrace and a failure from start to finish. Labour should be ashamed, there’s never been a clearer case for real change. Bring back three strikes. Dump the prison targets. Fund Oranga Tamariki to have secure beds. Stop funding sob stories for convicted criminals in the form of pre-sentencing reports. That would be a start to real change, putting victims’ rights back at the centre of justice."

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