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Source: ONE News -
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The government has followed through on election campaign promises to deliver more resources for tackling law and order issues.
Budget 2009 provides more than $950 million over the next four years for significant initiatives across the justice sector."
"The government's first priority was public safety and cracking down on violent crime," Justice Minister Simon Power says.
"Budget 2009 also takes some first steps in addressing funding gaps that have widened in recent years, leaving agencies across the justice sector without the capacity to meet steadily increasing workloads."
The Budget funding over the next four years includes $700.7 million in operating funding and $255.7 million in capital funding.
Police Minister Judith Collins had signalled earlier in the week that extra money to equip all police districts with tasers would be included in this year's Budget.
Police Minister Judith Collins had signalled earlier in the week that extra money to equip all police districts with tasers would be included in this year's Budget.
A total of $5.3 million in operating funding is provided to complete deployment of tasers throughout the country - a total of about 720. A further $4.2 million is spread across the following three years to meet ongoing costs and an extra $521,000 in capital will provide for computer systems to support the deployment.
"The government supports the use of tasers as a vital tool to manage dangerous situations and reduce potential harm to the public and police officers," Collins says.
The funding covers full implementation, including the taser units, audio-video cameras, training, holsters and carriers.
More frontline police confirmed
Budget funding will fulfil the government's commitment to put 600 more police on the streets by the end of 2011, Police Minister Judith Collins says.
An extra 300 officers will go into frontline roles in Counties-Manukau by the end of 2010 and there will be 300 more officers across the rest of New Zealand by the end of 2011.
"The government's top priority for policing has been to increase the number of officers directly delivering services to the public and we're honouring that commitment," Collins says.
"There is no better deterrent to crime than police officers out on the beat and on patrol in our communities. We need more police to tackle violence, maintain order and ensure that all New Zealanders can feel safe in their homes, on the streets and in their communities.
Budget 2009 provides $162.5 million of operating funding over four years for police recruitment, training, personnel costs and deployment.
It will also include extra police support for prosecutions. A further $20 million of capital funding in 2009/10 and 2010/11 will provide accommodation and vehicles for the additional police.
Money for victims
One of National's election planks was more support for victims of crime and the government has announced funding in its first Budget for a crime tax Justice Minister Simon Power says $2.3 million ($1 million in operating funding and $1.3 million capital funding) has been allocated to set up the collection process for a $50 levy on all convicted offenders at sentencing.
Power says addressing the negative impact of crime on victims is one of the government's top priorities in justice.
"Victims have been neglected for far too long." Power says.
The levy will be in addition to any sentence or court order and will be collected after reparation, but before fines.
Power has also indicated he is determined to speed up the wheels of justice and told TVNZ's Q + A programme earlier in the month that the government is planning to dramatically reduce the number of jury trials so that far more cases are heard by a judge alone.
The Act Party has been pushing for the government to bring in night court sessions because of the length of time it is taking trials to be completed. The party says murder trials used to be wrapped in two or three weeks, and now it seems two months is the norm.
It says holding court sessions after dark would speed the whole process up. A key supporter of the National government, Act campaigned strongly on anti-crime policies including the abolition of parole and a three-strikes policy which would give a sentence of 25-years to life to anyone convicted three times of a violent offence.
Law and order was a key factor in the battle for the votes of New Zealanders before the election. While tax cuts and the economy dominated the build up to the election, a ONE News Colmar Brunton poll showed law and order (67%) was important for voters.
Power says the most urgent needs in the sector have been addressed.
"This Budget will certainly help improve the sector's response to criminal offending, although that is not the government's ultimate objective.
"Too many governments have focused on the prison van at the bottom of the cliff. It's time to address the underlying drivers of crime, rather than just the criminal justice system's response to it.
"The benefits of that approach may be long term, but they will be significant, resulting in less crime, safer communities, and fewer victims," says Power.
Justice initiatives:
- $182.5 million for more police ($162.5
million operating, $20 million capital).
- $10 million for Tasers ($9.5 million operating, $500,000
capital).
- $61.3 million to increase criminal courts capacity in Auckland
($55.3 million operating, $6 million capital).
- $9.8 million to boost court security ($9 million operating,
$800,000 capital).
- $16.3 million to improve fines collection ($13.1 million
operating, $3.2 million capital).
- $385.4 million to increase prison capacity through double bunking
at five prisons and plans for further additional capacity ($218.6
million operating, $166.8 million capital).
- $152.9 million for more community probation and psychological
services capacity to manage more offenders ($133.8 million
operating, $19.1 million capital).
- $103 million to improve the quality of parole and home detention
management ($71.2 million operating, $31.8 million capital).
- $2.3 million to introduce offender levy for victims ($1 million
operating, $1.3 million capital).
- $600,000 in additional funding for the Independent Police Conduct
Authority.
In addition, there is $17.1 million in operating funding in 2009/10
to maintain access to justice services through community law
centres and legal aid.
What do you make of Budget 2009? What does it mean for you
and your family? Share your views on the message board
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Add a Comment:
Post new commentNoddy samurai said on 2009-05-29 @ 18:57 NZDT: Report abusive post
I think the same as "UP2DATE I think it's about the best National could have done. Nobody including Labour predicted just how bad things would get so overall I'm pretty happy with it
UP2DATE said on 2009-05-28 @ 17:38 NZDT: Report abusive post
I think it's about the best National could have done. Nobody including Labour predicted just how bad things would get so overall I'm pretty happy with it. I had been a Labour supporter up until the last election but the "nanny state" thing had me change. I'm so glad. How disappointing is Phil Goff as leader of the Labour party? Mr Negative without any real alternative...