16 June 1999

United New Zealand leader, Hon Peter Dunne, says the Home Invasion Bill as reported back to Parliament has been hopelessly gutted.

He says United has been promoting tougher home invasion legislation since 1996, and welcomed the Bill when first introduced to Parliament earlier this year, as a belated but positive step towards recognising that concern.

"However, we are now very concerned at the way this Bill has been gutted by the Select Committee, and therefore doubt that in its revised form it will be of much effect."

"In particular, I am very disappointed that the Select Committee has failed to respond positively to submissions from small business owners, dairies in particular, to bring them within the definition of home invasion."

"I will be looking therefore to move an amendment in the Committee stage in the House to extend the coverage of the Bill to include dairies and small businesses."

"Without such an amendment, the Home Invasion Bill becomes quite ineffectual."

"Such a gutted Bill will probably be harmless, but the tragedy is, if dealt with properly, it could have been extremely effective," Mr Dunne says.

ENDS

New Zealand's Liberal Party

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