Q: To Green co-leaders Jeanette Fitzsimons and Rod Donald:
Where does your political party stand on the question of New Zealand becoming a republic?
- Albert Ubeda.
A: While there is no formal party position, some of our MPs are strong supporters of a republic. The Greens favour a national dialogue followed by
a referendum.
While the concept of a republic is likely to be on the political agenda in the next few years, the Greens believe it needs to be considered as part of a broader national debate, including the questions of how the treaty relationship can be addressed to the satisfaction of both partners.
Q: To Helen Clark:
With law and order and protection of property being paramount to civilised society, what will your party be doing to improve the safety of the people who have quite rightly had enough of the ineffectiveness of the justice system?
- Wynton Smith, Auckland.
A: The Labour-led Government has succeeded in reducing crime. Burglary is at a 20-year low and overall crime is at a 13-year low.
Latest police figures also show that violent crime is trending down. Labour has added 450 police to the force.
We have toughened laws, making bail harder to get for repeat offenders, made sentences for the worst offenders longer and focused Parole Board decisions on the safety of the community.
Labour will further protect the rights of victims by passing the Victims Rights Act this year, expanding use of DNA as a tool in fighting crime and further addressing the issue of violent crime, while also focusing on turning young offenders away from a life of crime.
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