Anti-Social Behaviour Orders smack of arbitary punishment

The Green Party has expressed concern about proposals by the Rotorua District Council to introduce British-style behaviour orders to curb anti-social crimes.

Rotorua District Council wants to ban criminals from the central business district - so is pushing for its proposed legislation to go before Parliament.

But Greens Justice Spokesman Nandor Tanczos says he is concerned at the arbitary nature of the
Anti Social Behaviour Order proposal and, in addition, believes that a Government member should not be introducing this as a Local Government Bill.

“It raises a number of important issues and smacks of arbitary punishment. It is not at all clear what standard of proof is going to be required.

“In Britain many young people have ended up going to prison for breaching the order itself. This has an obvious net widening effect,” Nandor says.