Victims Requests Intro
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Legal Aid
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  Cumulative Sentences
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  Ministry for Victims
  Amendments to
Sentencing Act

Legal Aid

introduction of a sliding scale

We request that the Government urgently review the legal aid scheme with a view to introduce a "sliding scale" or "quota" system of legal aid. Legal Aid as we know it was introduced in 1970 at a cost of $110,000 that first year, the budgeted figure for legal aid last year was nearly $100 million. Legal aid may have been introduced for good reasons, but it is now simply a taxpayer funded subsidy or "gravy train". Lawyers prolong proceedings, appeal without merit, and discourage their clients from being held accountable and accepting responsibility for their actions, thus encouraging the spiral to continue.

The criminal fraternity as well as those defending them are abusing legal aid. Re-offending is actually being encouraged by the habitual criminal who has never had to be accountable or responsible for the costs associated with their offending thus encouraging the treadmill to continue. Many defence lawyers are not only riding the legal aid gravy train, they are now milking it. Some criminals now have over 300 offences credited to them, defence lawyers are only too happy to keep defending the criminals if the system is willing to pay. Under the present system Crime will not only continue to escalate but is being funded and promoted by the taxpayers of New Zealand.

Anyone can make one mistake and they deserve full legal aid representation, but after being found guilty of their first offence they must be held accountable and encouraged to accept responsibility for their actions. First time offenders should be told that the state will not continue to pay for their defence and any further offending will see the "sliding scale of legal aid" being brought into effect.