- 25 Jul 2003 21:51
#19460
http://onenews.nzoom.com/onenews_detail ... -8,00.html
A Parliamentary committee, which has been considering proposed 'clean slate' legislation, has recommended a shorter time-frame after which minor convictions can be concealed.
The Government Bill originally proposed to allow some people to conceal their record after going ten years without a conviction, but that has been reduced to seven years by a select committee.
The Act Party's justice spokesman Stephen Franks says the proposed clean slate legislation will encourage people to cover up their past.
Franks is Act's member on the Justice and Electoral committee which has been considering the Clean Slate Bill.
Franks says offenses such as theft and burglary are not minor and a person could have a number of convictions and still be eligible under the legislation to hide their records.
Act intends to oppose the bill through it's second and third readings in the House.
The Labour MP, Tim Barnett, says there are more benefits than risks to lowering the time frame for concealing minor convictions.
Barnett chairs the Justice and Electoral select committee which has been considering the clean slate legislation.
Barnett says those who have been in prison or work in certain occupations such as security or intelligence, would not be eligible to have their convictions concealed.
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Sounds great to me. Petty crime is just that - petty. People's lives shouldn't be destroyed by a small crime they did a long, long time ago. Seven years is a long time to have done nothing, so these people must have learnt their lesson.
A Parliamentary committee, which has been considering proposed 'clean slate' legislation, has recommended a shorter time-frame after which minor convictions can be concealed.
The Government Bill originally proposed to allow some people to conceal their record after going ten years without a conviction, but that has been reduced to seven years by a select committee.
The Act Party's justice spokesman Stephen Franks says the proposed clean slate legislation will encourage people to cover up their past.
Franks is Act's member on the Justice and Electoral committee which has been considering the Clean Slate Bill.
Franks says offenses such as theft and burglary are not minor and a person could have a number of convictions and still be eligible under the legislation to hide their records.
Act intends to oppose the bill through it's second and third readings in the House.
The Labour MP, Tim Barnett, says there are more benefits than risks to lowering the time frame for concealing minor convictions.
Barnett chairs the Justice and Electoral select committee which has been considering the clean slate legislation.
Barnett says those who have been in prison or work in certain occupations such as security or intelligence, would not be eligible to have their convictions concealed.
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Sounds great to me. Petty crime is just that - petty. People's lives shouldn't be destroyed by a small crime they did a long, long time ago. Seven years is a long time to have done nothing, so these people must have learnt their lesson.
- By Wellsy
- By ingliz
- By wat0n