Alexander: Just get parole right

United Future law and order spokesman Marc Alexander has questioned whether moves to increase supervision of released paedophiles to 10 years would actually be enforced.

"It is very difficult to have confidence that resources would be in place and the commitment made to carry through on this promise," he said.

"We have a far less rigorous system of Parole Board supervision today over just six months, and let's face it, they don't manage that very well. We are forever looking at the spectacular failures of this system because there is effectively no follow through.

"That is why we have situation like the one in Auckland recently when a paedophile was released to his family home where a young teenager lived and his victim often visited. And add to that the fact that he was to be supported by his mentally unstable mother and two fellow family members with child sex convictions," he said.

Mr Alexander raised this case in Parliament yesterday, in challenging Corrections Minister Paul Swain to give an assurance that the Parole Board would do its job, regardless of the period of supervision.

"Extend this level of incompetence over 10 years and let's see what we get," Mr Alexander said later.

"Parole conditions being enforced are crucial to treatment programmes, which refuse to take people on if they are living in unsafe conditions, and therefore unlikely to benefit from their programmes.

"And that is a worry for the offenders, for wider society, but especially for our children," he said.

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