Sorry, it's late and the cynicism is at full strength. I blame NZ Labour. They did this to me. I am now a victim. Oh, calamity. What measure of justice can I expect?
The Government will strengthen victims' rights through a range of initiatives, including developing a Victims' Charter and funding a national 0800 victim helpline and a website for victims, Justice Minister Annette King said.
Well, that directly addresses the fact that court cases for serious crime can take 2 years to get to court. And very serious crimes three years. (They are called elections at that point, but the jury is fickle).
Wow thanks Annette. You can go to the web site and see if the victims charter allows you any rights around bringing the criminal to trial before they die of old age. And I guess 0800-VICTIM will be useful if some violent maniac happens to be beating you to death with a phone. Maybe it will be answered faster than 111? Although, dialing so many digits with broken fingers is going to hurt.
But a special website for victims? This is showing initiative? What extra initiatives are they saving for the election? On this basis, I'm guessing fridge magnets. And T-Shirts. "I'm a victim. Labour cares so much they got me this T-Shirt". Actually, maybe they'll just make you wear the T-Shirt you had on when you were bludgeoned in your corner dairy? That way you have authentic victim blood on it. It would be a collectors item if they weren't so common.
Ms King says a Victims' Charter will be developed to build awareness of the standard of service that victims can expect from government agencies. "The Charter will be a significant step in ensuring that victims of crime are aware of their rights under the Victims Rights Act and the information and services they should receive.
Like being billed $20,000 in legal fees as a result of your partner being murdered by an early parolee? Like waiting 2 years for trial? Like seeing the person that tried to kill/rape/rob you being let out early? Like seeing that the criminals get sex change operations and new limbs out of tax payer funds, but you need to go private to receive timely treatment? Like seeing that repeat offenders get "community service", and failing to show for even that just becomes another repeated offence? We are already aware of the low standards of service. And I don't see any initiatives actually addressing them.
"I am absolutely determined victims should not be re-victimised by having to make repayments." said Annette King
What, you aren't promising to sort out IRD too are you?
Ms King said the Labour-led Government would provide $1.7 million in 2008/09 establishing a central contact point for victims to provide information and to assist victims with advice about support agencies and services.
The police don't take calls from victims now? "Thanks for reporting you have been bludgeoned. Would you like the new website address so you can find the number for an ambulance? We'd like to help but it's not our core business."
In other initiatives announced today, Ms King said the Labour-led Government will also provide additional funding to the New Zealand Council of Victim Support Groups to build the capability of frontline service co-ordinators.
More bureaucracy instead of direct action. And when you boil down the essence of what all these new initiatives are, it's just another example of Labour telling us where to go. Again. Well, it will be our turn later this year. Annette, try phoning 0800-VOTED OUT.
Related Link: Government toys with victims
The Government will strengthen victims' rights through a range of initiatives, including developing a Victims' Charter and funding a national 0800 victim helpline and a website for victims, Justice Minister Annette King said.
Well, that directly addresses the fact that court cases for serious crime can take 2 years to get to court. And very serious crimes three years. (They are called elections at that point, but the jury is fickle).
Wow thanks Annette. You can go to the web site and see if the victims charter allows you any rights around bringing the criminal to trial before they die of old age. And I guess 0800-VICTIM will be useful if some violent maniac happens to be beating you to death with a phone. Maybe it will be answered faster than 111? Although, dialing so many digits with broken fingers is going to hurt.
But a special website for victims? This is showing initiative? What extra initiatives are they saving for the election? On this basis, I'm guessing fridge magnets. And T-Shirts. "I'm a victim. Labour cares so much they got me this T-Shirt". Actually, maybe they'll just make you wear the T-Shirt you had on when you were bludgeoned in your corner dairy? That way you have authentic victim blood on it. It would be a collectors item if they weren't so common.
Ms King says a Victims' Charter will be developed to build awareness of the standard of service that victims can expect from government agencies. "The Charter will be a significant step in ensuring that victims of crime are aware of their rights under the Victims Rights Act and the information and services they should receive.
Like being billed $20,000 in legal fees as a result of your partner being murdered by an early parolee? Like waiting 2 years for trial? Like seeing the person that tried to kill/rape/rob you being let out early? Like seeing that the criminals get sex change operations and new limbs out of tax payer funds, but you need to go private to receive timely treatment? Like seeing that repeat offenders get "community service", and failing to show for even that just becomes another repeated offence? We are already aware of the low standards of service. And I don't see any initiatives actually addressing them.
"I am absolutely determined victims should not be re-victimised by having to make repayments." said Annette King
What, you aren't promising to sort out IRD too are you?
Ms King said the Labour-led Government would provide $1.7 million in 2008/09 establishing a central contact point for victims to provide information and to assist victims with advice about support agencies and services.
The police don't take calls from victims now? "Thanks for reporting you have been bludgeoned. Would you like the new website address so you can find the number for an ambulance? We'd like to help but it's not our core business."
In other initiatives announced today, Ms King said the Labour-led Government will also provide additional funding to the New Zealand Council of Victim Support Groups to build the capability of frontline service co-ordinators.
More bureaucracy instead of direct action. And when you boil down the essence of what all these new initiatives are, it's just another example of Labour telling us where to go. Again. Well, it will be our turn later this year. Annette, try phoning 0800-VOTED OUT.
Related Link: Government toys with victims
How about ensuring justice for the victims so they never have to whine about it to anyone? How about giving people the means to defend themselves so they don't have to become victims and then won't need to call some useless number to waste even more time?
ReplyDeleteOh yeah, without the above, there wouldn't be much need for these Labor parasites to, manage, administer, screw up, hold an inquiry into and pour more money into would there.
Nice, ZenTiger. Perhaps HoS "Blog of the Week" for two weeks in a row?!!?
ReplyDeleteQue?
ReplyDeleteA website for victims is a very good idea.. it will help them accept that the State pays $50,000 to the average crook to help him/her mount a defence for their crimes.
ReplyDeleteThe average victim gets, er, $29.50 each to help with rehabilitation from the effects of the crime.
JC
Like being billed $20,000 in legal fees as a result of your partner being murdered by an early parolee?
ReplyDeleteGiven that this was a right-wing fantasy, blaming it on Labour is a bit rich.
It's a well-known fact, govts are crap. Unfortunately, no matter who we vote for, govts always result. Admittedly, some are crapper than others, but are you seriously expecting a better performance from the next lot of cheapjack hustlers(TM) we put on the treasury benches, Zen?
In Praise of ZenTiger
ReplyDeleteHi PM
ReplyDeleteFirstly, let me say the whole post was in [rant] blah blah [/rant] mode, a bit like sarcasm and satire modes, but with that cool, edgy sense of outrage. You can almost feel the steam venting...sweeet.
Now what exactly did you mean by this: Given that this was a right-wing fantasy
because Annette King certainly seems to be on the same trip, swearing to fix the legislation that Labour passed in 2000, err, 8 years ago now. Roll on amendments to the EFB...
Yes, it is a well known fact governments are crap. And its also becoming a well known fact that the government is being directed by an even crappier gang of MPs that can't write good legislation and ensure good governance to save themselves.
Remember Te Wananga? 500 million dollars wasted over 3 years and Labour saying "we were just about to investigate the alarming increase in grant money over the long period...gee we'll sack the boss and put in some crown controllers at millions of extra tax dollars to sort this out,...
so its no surprise that they are repeating their past mistakes in the way they are handling the DHBs and even the airport sale.
How do I expect things to change? A focus on meeting absolute core "service levels" such as making sure serious crimes are up before the judge in a timely manner. A focus on governance, so that Te Wananga and the DHBs and the Job Jolt program and the hip hop tours and the leaky homes fiasco and the Transpower overseas investments through the Caymen Islands trust accounts etc all get trapped, reviewed and sorted well before the wheels fall off.
Labour have lost it, and even if the incoming mob don't do any better, that's still not a good enough reason to put up with Labour.
Am I expecting any better? Well, after Cullen's move today, I'm tending to think "yes".
"It's all National's fault, even if Labour are corrupt and incompetent National may not be any better and besides National may not fix whatever's wrong anyway because they may become corrupt even if they're not corrupt yet and besides if workers have been screwed over comprehensively by Labour that's no excuse to kick them out....blahblahblah..."
ReplyDeleteIs getting a bit bloody tired.
If corruption, general sleaze, a lying PM and utter contempt for the rights of citizens aren't sufficient reason to vote a government out, then exactly what would be?
KG: this comment I made over at the Standard is relevant here:
ReplyDeleteLighten up, they’re just govts. I’ve lived through two 9-year National govts in my adult life, and both of them made the current Labour govt look an unprecedented and outstanding success. Don’t you think you’re getting a little overwrought?
No. Angry, yes--corruption and sleaze tend to have that effect on me, regardless of the flavour of politician
ReplyDeleteThe 'lighten up, it's only politics" attitude is either dishonest or conveniently stupid.
ReplyDeleteIt's politics which dictates how much of our own money we get to keep, how our kids are educated, how free we are, among other things. There's no such thing as only politics.
I suspect it's only politics for lefties when this bunch of leftist thieves and liars are caught with their grubby paws in the till, caught out imposing their Marxist shit on NZ society.
Good rant PM.
ReplyDeleteI do like the way a request to be tough on crime results in Labour deciding "rednecks" want to bill victims. Brilliant.
It's a bit like the IRD writing to investors of Blue Chip and letting them know that not only may they lose their fortunes as BlueChip looks shakey, but IRD is sending them tax bills for extra payments even if they lose their fortunes, in the event they decide the Blue Chip investments are to be taxed differently. Ouch.
It's a bit like that widow being paid out 90 grand or so for her husband's asbestos related death, and then 12 months later demanding the money back because they decide $10 a week is the way they should pay her (and she was 80).
Bad legislation, hit first and apologise later and tough on the wrong people.
The left have never listened to the redneck arseholes, they just blame them. Nine years in government, it's on their heads.
Yes, we do blame them. Who put on the pressure to bill welfare beneficiaries for a proportion of their legal aid? No lefties on this planet, I can tell you that - for the obvious reason that such measures are bound to cause undeserved hardship, as seen in this case, and for the other obvious reason that public servants will do their absolute best to avoid enforcing it, also as seen in this case. Shame on the govt for giving in to that pressure.
ReplyDelete