It is not too late for Jacinda Ardern to show real leadership on cannabis law reform, writes criminologist Liam Martin. Jacinda Ardern won’t reveal how she voted on the cannabis referendum or take a public position on the issue either way. She leads a party that came to office promising sweeping changes in criminal justice, … Read more
A first-person account of one woman’s attempt to win justice after a sexual assault. As told to Alex Casey Content warning: This feature contains descriptions of sexual assault, which may be triggering to survivors. It was supposed to be the best day of my life. May 2017, my last semester at university, and I was celebrating … Read more
The two week jail sentence handed out to the woman who breached isolation with her grieving children is an abomination, writes Leonie Hayden. In a week where New Zealanders are celebrating the prison sentence of a monster who murdered 51 people, we all need to think hard about what we’re celebrating. I choose to leave … Read more
When a stranger videoed Veronica Schmidt undressed in a changing room at Kmart, the store’s staff refused to call the police. Here she writes for RNZ about what it took to finally get the offender in front of a judge. Warning: This story contains discussion of sexual offending and trauma I spotted him before it … Read more
All it would take is for New Zealand to enact a law that is already common in other countries, writes law professor Alexander Gillespie. There is no death penalty in New Zealand, unlike the United States. But the Christchurch terrorist, due for sentencing next week, will be going to jail for a very long time. … Read more
Those who oppose cannabis law reform often argue that people are already avoiding arrest for possession of minor amounts of the drug. That’s not the reality for thousands of cannabis users every year, reports Madeleine Holden. “You have no idea what it’s like, how powerless you are.” Greg, a 61-year-old invalids’ beneficiary, is recalling his … Read more
In October 2019, she laid a complaint of sexual assault. Police say they’re ‘still waiting for a free detective’ to assign to the case. Emily Writes reports. For Anne*, the morning of Thursday October 31, 2019, is indelibly printed on her memory. At 11.30am, she was brutally sexually assaulted in her home, she told The … Read more
A minimum six month sentence for intentionally injurious assaults on prison officers or first responders does nothing to address the reasons why such crimes take place, writes Aaron Hendry. What sort of justice system do we want in this country? That is the question that NZ First MP Darroch Ball’s Protection for First Responders and … Read more
New Zealand typically looks to Scandinavia for inspiration on improving our justice and corrections systems. But a prison expert says it’s actually Texas that can show us the best way to bring down our jail population. Ben Brooks spoke to Alex Braae about his research. If you ever have to conjure up what justice looks … Read more
Next year former National MP Chester Borrows will be voting “yes” on the referendum to legalise personal cannabis. He spoke to Teuila Fuatai about his ideological journey. Chester Borrows tells a good yarn. Tales from his cop days and salt-of-the-earth banter are part of his appeal. He even uses phrases like “just nuts”, “bonkers” and … Read more
The crisis surrounding Labour’s response to alleged sexual assault by a staffer lays bare the inadequacy of our current system, writes Danyl Mclauchlan I’ve worked at, or been involved with progressive organisations where someone gets accused of – well, something: no one is quite sure what. The details are disputed. Lawyers are involved. If the … Read more
The tale of the judge that went sailing with a QC that had just appeared before him, and the way it was handled, is almost enough to make you feel sorry for Jordan Williams, writes legal academic Marcelo Rodriguez Ferrere. There is a scene in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl … Read more
Nicole Tuxford’s death is up there with the worst failures of the justice system in New Zealand history, writes Newshub’s Patrick Gower. Our justice system helped kill Nicole Tuxford. These are extreme and hurtful words to put next to Nicole’s name, but sadly they are true. Because torture, rape and murder are also extreme and … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Two polls released showing bizarrely different scenarios, Murupara runs out of cash, and report finds racism embedded in the justice system. In the space of a single evening, two wildly different poll results came out. Each tells an entirely different story of the voting preferences of the … Read more