The Government should abandon its plans to lower the voting age and focus on restoring law and order, National’s Justice spokesperson Paul Goldsmith says.

“Michael Wood’s comments this morning that the Government is considering lowering the voting age shows that Labour’s priorities in justice are all wrong.

“The new Prime Minister shelved Labour’s hate speech laws because they were a distraction, and the same should apply here.

“If Labour is serious about fixing ‘bread and butter’ issues, their focus should be entirely on solving the rising lawlessness they have presided over.

“With violent crime up by 33 per cent, a 56 per cent increase in gang membership and a 500 per cent increase in ram-raids, these are pressing matters the Labour Government are failing to get under control.

“National does not support lowering the voting age. National’s priorities in justice are reducing violent, youth and gang crime, as well as clearing court backlogs.

“That is why National announced its plan to crack down on serious repeat youth offenders like ram-raiders to turn their lives around and to protect the public.

“Rather than trying to deflect from the rampant crime wave, Labour needs to ensure that youth offenders face consequences proportionate to the harm they inflict, as well as implement support to help these young offenders on a better pathway.

“National will bring back tougher consequences, both to slow down the wave of youth crime but also to rescue vulnerable kids before it is too late.

“Many other countries have a voting age of 18, and National has seen no compelling case to lower the age. There is no reason it should be a priority in justice right now.”

© Scoop Media