United Future
Bernie Ogilvy

Bernie Ogilvy House Speech - life means life

My brief appeal today is for every member of Parliament to stop playing Monopoly with other people’s precious lives.

Yesterday a small number of brave MPs attended and heard and saw heart wrenching graphic “life and death” stories from some Mums, Dads and friends.

Each expressed, that as a result of a vicious murderer, they were now innocent victims of a gutless justice system. As a result, in their mind “The murderer is out of jail and they are in jail.”

They called upon, and pled for, all MPs and this Parliament to give actual meaning to the words “LIFE MEANS LIFE.”

So today I, and my United Future colleagues,  join with their cries for justice.

They meant - NO PAROLE ever again. Many murders we heard about yesterday were committed while the murderer was on parole or bail!

As in the Game of Monopoly – “Go to Jail” must mean just that. Not a well-kept visit/ holiday for some years.

As in the Game of Monopoly – “Do not pass Go” must mean that. There is no revolving door. The door is closed once inside!

As in the Game of Monopoly – “Do not collect $200,” means just that. No financial help for the murderer.

As in the Game of Monopoly – Everyone else can then go about their lives peacefully and gainfully.

Yesterday we also saw the PM stating that a dog that mauled a child should be killed and the owner face serious charges along with a speedy promise of putting into place legislation to stop vicious dog breeds.

But is there any urgency about the two-legged mongrels who have killed innocent citizens? NO.

Is an animal more important than a person? No.

These victims were from next-door, they were from every walk of life from all around NZ. They voted us here to Parliament to be their voice. They are bitter and disillusioned by our NZ justice system and the “liberal do gooders” that hide in this Parliament!

As an MP I am ashamed by the lack of fortitude among us. My colleague, Marc Alexander, in February this year for a cross party voice for these victims.

Mr Speaker, I reopen his invitation. New Zealanders want some HOPE from us. Let us return their trust by doing something together in this MMP environment.

United Future adds its voices to the tens of thousands of Kiwis as well as the Sensible Sentencing Trust who have had enough. A Life sentence must means LIFE - with NO parole.

That surely is a clear commonsense message.