Justice Minister Kiri Allan should be asking the Prime Minister to drop Labour’s hate speech legislation so she can prioritise more pressing issues, National’s Justice spokesperson Paul Goldsmith says.

“When violent crime has increased by nearly a third, ram raids are continuing largely unchecked, and when Kiwis continue to face unacceptably long delays in the courts, any sensible Justice Minister would focus on effective responses to those challenges.

“Hate speech legislation by contrast is not needed, and it will unnecessarily narrow free speech and expression in our country.

“Proceeding with new hate speech legislation is a distraction from the more pressing issues that Ministry of Justice officials should be focused on.

“National has already proposed tough new gang laws to deal more effectively with violent crime, as well as new tools, such as military academies, to deal with the most serious, repeat youth offenders. National has also signalled its focus on reducing court delays.

“Labour’s record so far has been woeful – having a 30 per cent reduction of prison numbers, irrespective of crime levels, as their only meaningful target in the justice sector. Reducing prison sentences for our worst repeat offenders through the repeal of Three Strikes legislation has been their only significant move in sentencing law.

“Ms Allan needs to show New Zealanders that she is finally getting serious about tackling the decline in law and order that her Government has presided over. Dropping the hate speech distraction would be a good place to start.”