Peter Williams: Kahui boys' deaths raise many issues

It's little wonder the deaths of twins Chris and Cru Kahui have ignited such public outrage.

In the absence of a history of accident, both babies have obviously been grossly assaulted.

This extreme case of child abuse, or "murder" as the investigating police officer has designated it, has quite rightly stirred our nation's moral sense and caused rigorous debate on related issues.

Lawyers acting for family members have courageously insisted on proper recognition of their clients' rights, particularly the rules against self-incrimination. The police have publicly protested that their inquiries are frustrated by family "lack of cooperation".

The politicians, ever seeking identification with a popular cause, have voiced outrage, with Maori Affairs Minister Parekura Horomia leading the stampede with his ridiculous statement: "I think quite bluntly they've got to go and get 'em". A remark he probably heard on a second-grade cowboy movie.

The case has illuminated a sub-culture of unemployment and lack of ambition, motivated by shallow hedonism, drugs, alcohol and vapid TV watching. Is New Zealand developing an Orwellian underclass of sub-human culture?

Racism has raised its ugly head with the unseen Ku Klux Klan group blaming Maori immorality and general thuggery. No doubt the Klan pointed to offending by African-Americans as justification for its notorious activities.

If the guilty person or persons came forward and confessed to these acts of savagery in the Kahui case, in the absence of mitigating circumstances, the sentence of the courts would probably be about 17 years' imprisonment.

Any proven mitigating circumstances may reduce the term. In the past, mitigating circumstances have included post-natal depression where the offender was a mother.

Defence lawyers prepared with expert evidence would explain much that presently is inexplicable. Perhaps the time is ripe to review our adversarial judicial system and adopt a structure more directed to exposing the underlying reasons for offending, such as gross child abuse. In Germany, for instance, the Kahui case would be dealt with by a judge empowered to compel witnesses, including the suspects, to be thoroughly interviewed.

The New Zealand judicial emphasis is on long sentences which are seen as a panacea to all our criminal problems.

Let us hope that the Kahui twins have not died in vain - that discussion engendered by their untimely and unwarranted deaths will promote improved post-hospital nursing care and home supervision, meaningful encouragement and training for young people to find employment with wages sufficient to generate a wholesome lifestyle.

Above all to form a national commitment to the abolition of all forms of child abuse, including child labour, corporal punishment and bullying of children at every level.

Dole dependency must be substituted by reintroduction of the old Labour Party principles of plenary home ownership, free education and a culture emphasising equality and egalitarian principles.


Reader comment: Good hearted intelligently put story Peter Williams, I have been pretty hurt from all the mishmash goings on about these poor wee twin souls that I became stunned and angry by the media frenzy. But hey what can we say it is the truth speaking very loudly saying I am RACIST let me forget how to hide it and totally forget myself untill the next frenzied attack or shall I say putbull attack presents its self again. I vote for Tamihere to give us a go, Maori for Maori to address all of our problems. hei kona na.
- - - posted 10.45am July 7, 2006 by edwina