Q+A: Panel discuss David Garrett, Kim Workman interview

Published: 3:03PM Sunday June 21, 2009 Source: Q+A

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Q+A's panel this week Paul Holmes, Therese Arseneau, former NZ First MP Ron Mark & former Prime Minister, Mike Moore. 

PAUL  Good or bad law, the three strikes law. 

RON   Oh I think there's a bigger story here, ACT have been done, quite clearly the adjustments that Simon Power's made to the original ACT bill and created as a government bill, this five year benchmark that he's put in there will effectively mean that this law never actually sees any effect at all.

MIKE   I think it's superficial show pony nonsense.  I'd go for it if it worked, there are deeper issues at work.  Looks it what people want to hear, playing on the grief.  Nobody's batting for the other side on the law and order issue.  It's a bit like anti smacking, the anti smacking law would never do what those who supported it said it would do, it would never do what those opposed to it ...

PAUL  But the Nats might feel obliged to support this because it is what you might call a red meat issue.

MIKE   I think we ought to spend some time on Mental Health and our law and order problems, I just think we go for these wonderful superficial ...

RON   I agree with that if you want to talk about dealing with the Mental Health Act yeah we can have that debate, if you want to talk about what Kim wants to talk about all the time rehabilitation and what inmates are actually doing when they're incarcerated, let's have that debate, this debate is about whether this law, which is supposed to be a three strikes and you're out law, should pass or whether it will achieve what they said it would achieve.  The benchmark has been set so high with the five years, who gets five years take for example ...

PAUL  Nobody has been sentence for serious violent crimes for three five year sentences. 

RON   A driver hits a victim drags them for two kilometres down the road gets four years three months, doesnt qualify as a first strike, a doctor sexually assaults two young girls gets two years, it's not a strike.  This law is a crock, ACT have been done and the question for ACT is are they gonna vote for it.

PAUL  Well thats right, thats right he doesnt like the law as it is, the Nats have also added a few crimes, bestiality, incest, robber, acid throwing, aggravated burglary, kidnapping, underage sex crimes.

RON   What about P dealing, P is the thing that is ripping our communities apart and you do not get a strike for being a P cook or a PAUL dealer.  Absolutely ridiculous.

MIKE   Well it's not gonna do what they say it's gonna do, it never was.

PAUL  Will it pass?

RON   Haven't a clue.

MIKE   ACT should show some guts and vote against it.

RON   Absolutely agree.

PAUL  What would be coming up this week being in parliament.  Parliament's in session again what news are you gonna be looking for keeping an eye on this week?

RON   Oh it's interesting, there's a rather obscure bill going through that deals with funding from parliamentary services for political parties, land transfer amendments bills are gonna go through and of course the Asean Australia Free Trade area bill thats going through.

MIKE   Around some serious stuff goes on we'll be hearing about water coolers and what come up next week will be Sunday's lunch, and Iran.

PAUL  There could be a bit more of that couldnt there?

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