PeterEllis.org.nz

Media Release
10 October 2006

Government compensation miserly, sexist and racist.

The government has been extremely miserly in their offer of compensation to three girls who were jailed for a crime that they did not commit, spokesperson Brian Robinson says.

The justice minister accepted the girls were innocent, but only offered each girl compensation ranging from $135,000 to $137,000 (excluding disbursements). These amounts of money are significantly less than previous awards for wrongful imprisonment.

The Government

* Has not explained the basis for their stingy decision in
the case of the three girls.

* Has been even more miserly in refusing to pay
interest on the money that they have retained since
the girls were first offered compensation.

The Government appears to have no appreciation at all for

* the trauma that completely innocent people experience
when confronted with a justice system that has made a
mistake.

* The harm that was done to three girls affected in their
formative years by such an experience.

* The loss of opportunity experienced by the girls who
suffered a damaged education

* The period of time affected which not only included the
seven months in jail, but also the time from when the
girls were accused, and the time after release, while
they were adjusting to freedom.

* The inevitable loss of friends and damaged relationships
experienced by the girls

* The real costs that the girls experienced in unnecessarily
defending the charges.

The only explanation for the government's woefully inadequate response appears to be that the claimants are young, non pakeha, and women.

ENDS

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