United Future Policy Statement

Law and Order

United Future recognises that personal security and a safe society for families depends on an integrated law and order policy that balances the needs of victims, promotes rehabilitation and restorative justice, appropriately penalises those who break the law, and identifies and acts on the causes of crime and properly resources those who deal with crime. We believe that early intervention and identification of the causes of crime are essential to breaking the cycle of criminal activity. United Future supports tougher sentencing for violent crimes, signifying that criminal activity will not be tolerated. We appreciate the suffering that victims of crimes endure and are committed to ensuring that they receive the support and reparation they deserve. We will be tough on crime and tough on the causes of crime. We will ensure sufficient funding is provided to our Police and other programmes so that effective action is taken to make our communities safe again.

Safe Communities for Families

The well being of families and communities, social stability, and law and order depends on all age groups taking responsibility. Support must be given to lawful community initiatives, which work at making our streets safe for families.

United Future considers that the issue of Police staffing has been extremely politicised with parties bidding for support using figures that have no demographic or operational basis. We believe that there has to be a transparent staffing formula that fairly provides for increases or decreases in Police numbers and allows a reserve to meet special problems in particular areas.

United Future will:

ensure that every area is guaranteed a minimum number of Police according to population: 800 for urban and town areas and 600 for rural areas.
Allow extra police to be provided for areas where the crime rate exceeds the national average. As police get on top of crime in areas these numbers will be reduced. However, because of the population formula above, there will always be a basic minimum of police available to the public.
ensure that there is a deployable reserve of up to 100 Police that can be deployed in an area that is having a particular problem.
Encourage the establishment of a national community network of Emergency Readiness Groups providing neighbourhood support, first aid and emergency preparation
Encourage the use by local communities and retailers of approved security wardens and cameras to monitor shopping areas and public places.
encourage volunteer and community agencies to take a role in promoting a crime free society, but we will not encourage activities or groups which purport taking the law into their own hands.
strongly oppose the decriminalisation of cannabis and institute an education programme against all drug use in schools.
Get tough on truancy by establishing a national, centralised database to track student enrolment and attendance.
legislate on child pornography to close legal loopholes used by internet dealers.
Make a distinction between violent and non-violent burglary. Crimes involving attacks on people in their own homes, especially on older New Zealanders, are increasing. United Future New Zealand believes that the home should be a place of unrivalled security and therefore we will strive to make it a place where New Zealanders can feel safe.

Road Safety

United Future will commit to lowering the road toll by:

Instituting a zero blood alcohol level for all drivers under the age of 25
Compulsory testing for drugs of drivers involved in accidents causing injury.
Legislating so that vehicles on the road without a warrant of fitness or driven by a disqualified driver are impounded immediately.
Properly addressing national and regional road finding priorities to remove danger areas, such as the need for the Transmission Gully road north of Wellington.
Legislate for compulsory third party insurance, conditional on the issue of a warrant of fitness.
Toughen penalties for driving while disqualified or without a licence, alcohol or drug-impaired driving, and driving at excessive speeds.
Implement driver education in schools

Early Intervention

United Future believes that we need to get tough on the causes of crime. Dysfunctional families and poorly-educated children disproportionally contribute to criminal activity. There has been a 195% increase in child assaults since 1990 and 40% of criminal offenders are in the 14-18 age bracket. United Future is committed to reducing these statistics. Families need increased support to be able to function effectively. We know that investing money into parental education and children's wellbeing now results in far less money being spent later in our courts and prisons.

Additionally, United Future believes that basic attitudes and values have to be changed towards violence and theft. This means that United Future will look to the education system and the media to avoid the use of violence as an acceptable form of behaviour or a way of solving problems.

United Future will:

encourage schools to implement a character education ethos in their school curriculum in accordance with the 1993 curriculum framework.
increase funding for appropriate early intervention supervision and diversionary programmes for youth at risk.
increase funding to Plunket and the Parents as First Teachers programme
guarantee all pre-school children over the age of three years the right to access up to 15 hours per week of early childhood education.
ensure the taxation system takes into account the costs of raising a family, by introducing income splitting for families, a home carer's allowance for parents at home caring for children under the age of five, and by increasing tax rebates currently available for child care costs.
Promote culturally appropriate parenting programmes.
Promote family mediation services to offer support and guidance to family relationships in difficulty and appropriate counselling as necessary.
Introduce family literacy programmes and budgeting advice for families in need.
increase funding for programmes such as DARE and anti-bullying.
make parents financially accountable for crimes committed by their children.

Support for Victims

We appreciate the suffering that victims of crime endure and are committed to ensuring that they receive the support and reparation they deserve. United Future will:

ensure that Courts make the welfare and safety of victims, their families and the public paramount when considering bail applications.
allow relative/s of the victim to be heard in person, or through counsel, at Parole Board proceedings.
ensure Parole Boards give consideration to reports by the prison management and staff on the offender's behaviour and likelihood of re-offending.
allow the Parole Board discretion to decide when offenders have to re-appear for parole proceedings.
fully support victim restoration programmes for non-violent crimes to ensure that offenders and their families compensate victims for their losses and face up to the people they have hurt.
Make provision to track stolen money, irrespective of where it has been spent or invested, and return it to the rightful owner.
Ensure that offenders are unable to profit from their crimes through, for example, book royalties and media interviews.

Tough Sentences For Violent Crimes

United Future will:

introduce tougher penalties for child abuse and neglect.
ensure offences against children receive at least the same penalties as offences against adults
provide for cumulative sentences rather than concurrent sentences so that multiple offenders pay for each crime they have committed, not just one.
introduce mandatory guidelines, including higher minimum sentences to ensure sentencing reflects nature of the offending, and reflects the overwhelming concern of New Zealanders with overly lenient sentencing.
United Future will, in the case of heinous murders, ensure criminals face life imprisonment, without the possibility of parole.

United Future Parliamentary Office: Bowen House, Lambton Quay, Wellington
Email: Phone: (04) 471 9410