National removed all prisoner voting rights on the back of one-term MP Paul Quinn's private member's bill in 2010. Andrew Little now says he will restore voting rights to those serving three years or less. Why? I haven't asked him but if a person is expected to contribute to society they should have a vote. If a prisoner will be released within the term of the next government they should have a say in how the country is run. They will be expected to work and pay taxes after all. But Bridges comes out crowing 'soft on crime.' National will rescind the change! A nonsensical call to the unrelentingly punitive element if ever I heard one.
Then National's overwhelming opposition to the voluntary euthanasia bill revealed more about the party than I wanted to know.
I've paid close attention to them for two decades and felt the odd flicker of excitement - when John Key called Working For Families 'communism by stealth', or Bill English said prisons were an 'economic and moral failure'. But the weak flame has now sputtered out.
2 comments:
It is self evident to any thinking person, that the individual who thumbs his nose at society forgoes the privileges of that society when brought to account.
But then, for years now I have despaired of finding a politician who could be considered a thinking person....
So go join Labour then. Good luck with that!! Do the crime, lose your vote. Common sense. And they are very serious crimes. Once out, yes, then voting rights should be restored. Do you realise how hard it is go go to prison in NZ in the first place?? You have gone left!
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