Victims being forced to Beg

The families of murder victims will be forced to beg as the parole door slams shut on them.

"This is the biggest invasion of Victims Rights I have ever seen, we talk about a civilized society but this is the most uncivilized piece of legislation ever proposed - and it is being put forward by a Government who claims to be listening to Victims!"

Tough words - but founder of the Sensible Sentencing Trust Garth McVicar should know - he deals with victims every day - McVicar also claims the biggest invasion of victim rights this century is under way as the Criminal Justice Reform Bill prepares to slam the parole door on victims.

Following the Graeme Burton parole disaster the Government promised to get tough on parole but McVicar says the opposite is happening and the new legislation causes further anguish and gets tough on victims while doing nothing to reduce the risk of further Burton type offences.

McVicar also accuses Parliament of ganging-up on victims, "Despite promises of getting tough on parole all this Bill does is shut victims out of the parole process and puts the power back into the hands of burearocrats."

"Bad legislation drafted by burearocrats - but passed by Parliament - killed Karl Kuchenbecker and many other innocent New Zealanders and the Sensible Sentencing Trust predicts many more will die as a result of this disastrous legislation."

"Parole is being used as a means to reduce the prison population and our elected representatives are allowing it to happen - their silence is deafening."

"The Select Committee report on this crazy legislation did not even have the decency to comment on victims submissions; instead they worried and weaseled about the rights of the criminal."

"Instead of parole becoming a privilege for the criminals we now find that a victim will need to be the one begging for the privilege - the privilege to attend a parole hearing."

"If any Member of Parliament has any spine - if indeed they care about victims - they should stand up and demand retrospective life sentences for anyone convicted of premeditated or aggravated murder."

"Once again Australia seems to be leading the way, New South Wales has introduced retrospective legislation for this category of offender." McVicar said.

"For this type of offence parole should not be an option - a life sentence must mean exactly that - life behind bars."

"That is the only possible way victims can move on and end the anguish the current parole system and proposed changes are causing them,".

ENDS

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