A bill expanding parole extended supervision orders has been sent to select committee for consideration.
Anne Tolley said the Parole (Extended Supervision Orders) Amendment Bill amends the Parole Act to enable extended supervision orders to be renewed as often as they are needed. It also expands the scope of these orders beyond high-risk child sex offenders to include high-risk sex offenders and very high-risk violent offenders.
Tolley said the bill would increase the safety of the public as it would ensure the management of serious sex offenders with extended protection order for as long as they were needed. Currently they are only used to manage child abusers for up to ten years.
The bill would extend these provisions to other offenders and allow the orders to be renewed indefinitely. There would be review of the orders every five years.
Tolley said she believed the bill balanced the need to protect the public, while ensuring the rights of those subject to the “high impact” orders, which she said would only apply to a small number of high risk offenders.
Phil Goff said Labour would support the legislation at first reading, though it would be controversial with some because of the nature of the orders.
Goff said the Attorney-General had found the bill was inconsistent with the Bill of Rights Act due to the retrospective nature of the orders and the double jeopardy nature of the bill. Because of this it would need careful scrutiny.
The bill was needed because an order on serial sex offender Lloyd McIntosh was due to expire.
The bill was sent to the Law and Order Committee for consideration on a voice vote.
MPs began the second reading of the Land Transport Amendment Bill which will lower the adults legal alcohol limits from 400 micrograms of alcohol per litre of breath to 250mcg, and from 80 milligrams of alcohol per 100 Millilitres of blood to 50mg.
The bill completed its second reading by 108 to 7 with NZ First opposed.
MPs began the second reading debate of the Accounting Infrastructure Reform Bill. Debate was interrupted when the House rose at 6pm.
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