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Leader's LetterJuly 2005
Prisoners' & Victims' ClaimsIn the last newsletter I requested members' views on the Prisoners & Victims Claims Bill, which gives criminals the right to claim for damages while they are in prison. As you will recall some of New Zealand's vicious thugs, murderers and rapists want to make money out of their prison stay while making the life of prison guards absolutely miserable. I received a totally overwhelming response against this measure. You will be pleased to know that New Zealand First voted against the bill. Regrettably it was passed because the Labour Party was able to convince the Greens to support the legislation.Parliamentary Privilege Parliamentary Privilege is something which Members of Parliament are entitled to exercise in parliament. This is a constitutional right granted to Members of Parliament over many hundreds of years and enables difficult problems to be aired publicly so that there can be a discussion on the issues without fear of a defamation proceeding. Recently the Court of Appeal and the Privy Council, in one of its last decisions affecting New Zealand, said that this privilege should be restricted effectively to statements in parliament. New Zealand First supports the view of the Privy Council. It was the only party in Parliament to do so. All other Parties have taken the view that Members of Parliament can step outside parliament and make comparatively wide-ranging remarks confirming their support for statements they made in parliament without any fear of defamation proceedings. This will be of great advantage to some Members of Parliament as well as the news media who might slip up and otherwise be sued for defamation. New Zealand First takes the view that Parliamentary Privilege is something that can be reined in by the views of voters at election time. Speeches made outside parliament should be dealt with by the Courts. Dail Jones MP
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