Justice

Click here to return to the policy homepage.

• ACT advocates a three strikes law for burglary.
• The reparation scheme has become dysfunctional in New Zealand and ACT advocates lump sum payments to victims by the state, which should then take responsibility for collection rather than letting victims suffer from non-payment. 
• ACT believes that there should be a degrees-of-murder sentencing regime.  
•  ACT supports tougher sentences as well as confiscation of weapons and vehicles used for livestock theft, in line with sanctions applied to fish poachers. (more here)

• Increase funding and support for restorative justice approaches throughout the criminal justice system, in a variety of cultural and geographical settings, including after sentencing, particularly in prisons.
• Extend a solutions-focused approach (similar to that of the Youth Drug Court which has cut re-offending by addressing substance addiction rather than simply punishing) to other areas of the justice system and in particular youth and criminal areas.
• Support a moratorium on all new prison construction except for the purposes of replacement and oppose the privatisation of prisons.
• Invest in the provision for rehabilitation of existing inmates, focussing on self- recognition and acceptance of responsibility, guilt and remorse, counselling, education, conflict resolution and anger management therapy to prevent repeat offending, and support for teaching non-violent means of expression such as arts and technology as well as work skills.
• Ensure public funded mediation services for civil proceedings and continue to allow courts the ability to refer parties to mediation, further mediation, or community group conferences before granting a hearing. (more here)

• Not available on their website yet.

• Not available on their website yet.

• Throw out the three-strikes legislation.
• Reintroduce preferred lawyer status—legal aid.
• Establish an Anti-Corruption Commission, which may absorb investigative functions of the State Services Commission; Serious Fraud Office, Judicial Conduct Commissioner and Conduct Panel and the Parliamentary Privileges Select committee.
• The Independent Police Conduct Authority will be disestablished. Its functions will be transferred to the Anti- Corruption Commision.
• Introduce legislation to ensure that assets maintained by white collar criminals are able to be used to pay outstanding debts to investors. (more here)

• Not available on their website yet.

• Overhaul current legislation relating to the sentencing of serious, violent offenders to provide greater protection for the public. If there is not genuine rehabilitation the offender will serve the full sentence.
• Extend the range of sentencing options for violent young offenders including: ‘secure training order’ sentences involving supervised control and intensive rehabilitation; other secure and military-type training options and widening the range of offences for which young offenders may be automatically subject to adult processes eg attempted murder, aggravated sexual assault, serious repeat offending. (more here)

• Not available on their website yet.