Lawyers savage backdated change to sex offender law

Justice Minister Phil Goff's plans to backdate law to keep the just-freed Palmerston North paedophile under close supervision for the next 10 years is "repugnant to justice", says the man's lawyer.

John Rowan, QC, of Wanganui, said interesting issues of principle were involved.

Mr Goff plans to change the law to allow up to 10 years of extra supervision for high-risk sex offenders after they are released from jail.

The change would take legal effect from the day of its introduction to Parliament, and would cover the Palmerston North man, who was freed last week.

Mr Rowan said he did not want to discuss the change further, as debate by him would further highlight his client.

"I don't want to add anything that simply adds to the intensity of the issue," Mr Rowan said.

Another lawyer, Mike Behrens, QC, of Palmerston North, said Mr Goff was flouting democratic process in trying to get a law effectively passed without public input.



The bill would be law before MPs had time to scrutinise it and debate it, he said.

"I think this is one of the most serious transgressions of the democratic process that I have ever heard of. I can't believe it," he said.

"Someone needs to get hold of Goff and pull his head in for him. I'm disgusted that somebody from a Labour Government could suggest this. Why does he not just go off and join the Act party?"

The Cabinet had previously tried to pass laws without going through proper process, but the "howls" from everyone had stopped it.

Mr Behrens said Mr Goff's plan would set a dangerous precedent.

The process of parliamentary debate, select committee hearings and scrutiny ensured the public had the chance for input.

"The risk is that if politicians think that the matter is serious or urgent enough, they will have a precedent to ignore the democratic process," Mr Behrens said.

"It's about time the politicians sat back and considered things, and did them properly."

- NZPA