Discharge nothing out of ordinary

Mark Dawson, Editor of Wanganui Chronicle

There are troubling aspects to the Korotangi Paki court case ... and one of the lesser ones is that he is the son of the Maori king.

Mr Paki was granted a conditional discharge without conviction in the Auckland District Court after admitting burglary, theft and drink-driving.

Judge Philippa Cunningham accepted that a conviction would ruin his chances of succeeding his father King Tuheitia, and that such an outcome would be "out of all proportion" to the offence.

The judge's leniency in the face of "Maori royalty" has attracted plenty of race-based criticism - which was what was intended in the way the story was reported.

The television news, in particular, basically invited the viewers to be outraged at preferential treatment for Maori.

But a couple of points here ...

While Mr Paki got the rub of the green, and while there's an argument that his prospects in the Kingitanga movement should not hold such sway, conditional discharge without conviction is a regular occurrence and an important part of our justice system.

It is available to all (regardless of race) who plead guilty, have a clean record and take responsibility for their misdemeanour. In other words, they will become good citizens and will do that more effectively without the stain of criminal conviction.

Another aspect of the justice system is the open court and public airing of one's trespasses. The shame and humiliation of having your offence widely reported is rightly considered part of the punishment.

Mr Paki has had plenty of shame and humiliation and its sting will be especially painful, both for him and within his Tainui iwi - more so than in other strata of society.

In the end, it is the outcome that matters. If Mr Paki mends his ways and proves a worthy successor to the throne, we may feel justice has been served.