Come Clean On Deception, Minister

It is time for Corrections Minister Paul Swain to tell us whether deceit is official policy for his agents, ACT New Zealand Justice Spokesman Stephen Franks said today.

"Did the Probation Service know that Delcelia Witika's killer, Eddie George Smith, was using false names to conceal his past while on parole?" Mr Franks said.

"Did officials help him hide his identity from employers? If they didn't actively help, did they know about it? Did they check to ensure that he was not abusing any trust obtained by deception?

"It is a crime to obtain money or credit by false pretences. People are prosecuted for using documents to deceive. How can the Minister justify helping criminals to slide into communities by deceit? Two weeks ago, Labour helped insert a rapist into a Housing Corporation pensioner community.

"ACT's policy of ending secret criminal records and name suppression will restore openness to justice. We will require the same honesty from Ministers about criminals, as the Government demands from ordinary people," Mr Franks said.

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