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Archived Press Releases 2003 10th December 2003

Sensible Sentencing Trust supports Tamihere

(10th December 2003)

The Sensible Sentencing Trust is backing calls by Labour M P John Tamihere for Maori communities to take ownership of Maori problems.

We have contacted Mr. Tamihere and congratulated him on his stand regarding these issues said National spokesman for the Sensible Sentencing Trust.

I am sure thousands of New Zealanders will agree with us when we say, "at last an MP who has the courage to call it the way it is", said Mr McVicar.

Maori are over represented in our crime statistics and our prison population. We have ignored the problem for far too long, the consequences of young people being caught up in a justice system that has become more of a "bulk discount recycling centre" are alarming.

Author Alan Duff has also publicly supported Mr. Tamihere and his call for whanau to be a lot more proactive in dealing with Maori problems. "The only time we are whanau is when there is a tangi. We seem to be good at ceremonies for the dead but not for the living" said Mr Duff.

If we are to succeed in the future we need to learn from the past. One thing our past has taught us is that the 30 year "Politically Correct" experiment of no accountability and no responsibility has been a disaster for New Zealand.

Our silence has been seen as consent, we congratulate community leaders such as Mr Tamihere and Mr Duff for their stand on these issues, said Mr McVicar.

Regards,

Garth McVicar
National Spokesperson,
Sensible Sentencing Trust.