Labour urges tougher legal stance on boy racers

Labour says courts should confiscate boy racers' cars after a second offence even if they are owned by someone else.

Police Minister Judith Collins' Vehicle Confiscation and Seizure Bill gives courts the power to send cars owned by repeat offenders to the crusher.

The bill was reported back by Parliament's transport and industrial relations select committee yesterday.

Labour Party law and order spokesman Clayton Cosgrove said the bill closed a loophole to make it possible to confiscate a vehicle in a third party's name.

"But we cannot see why the legislation needs a third offence provision," he said. "It seems to me that the bill has got its focus wrong. Instead of being fixated on crushing ... the bill should have focused on ensuring courts interpret the confiscation clause the way it is intended to be interpreted."

Labour wanted the judges' discretion to crush or confiscate a car on a third offence removed, given that the car should already have been taken on a second offence.

Ms Collins, in a statement, said Labour did not understand the bill and mandatory confiscation measures were strengthened.

"The bill adds a third layer of authority to the current law, allowing the court to order that a vehicle be confiscated and destroyed for a third illegal street racing offence within four years.

"If the court does not order that the vehicle be confiscated and destroyed, it must still confiscate the vehicle unless this would cause extreme hardship to the offender or undue hardship to someone else."

Under the bill the vehicle's owner would be written to after a first offence.

"I hope Labour repudiates the nonsense in its minority report and realises, like the rest of the country, that this bill is meeting the needs of New Zealanders who are sick and tired of the obnoxious behaviour of illegal street racers," Ms Collins said.

Mr Cosgrove disagreed with destroying vehicles, saying funds from sales should go to repaying fines.

The committee also reported back the Land Transport (Enforcement Powers) Amendment Bill recommending it be passed. The bill would strengthen the laws around illegal street racing, allow bylaws to be made to stop noisy cars cruising and give police authority to take them off the streets for instant metered tests.

- NZPA