NEW ZEALAND - Fresh calls for a public registry of sex offenders

Derryn Hinch

Original Article (Video available)

07/11/2014

An advocate for a public registry of sex offenders is in New Zealand to campaign for changing the country's name suppression laws.

New Zealand-born Australian broadcaster Derryn Hinch (2011 Video) will speak to the Sensible Sentencing Trust this weekend with the aim of getting a public registry of convicted sex offenders in New Zealand.

Speaking to TVNZ's Breakfast programme this morning, Mr Hinch says he believes it's "common sense" to have a registry for sex offenders and that the public has a right to know who and where sex offenders are.

"You should know that someone's out there in the community," he told the programme. "You have a right to know as a parent."
- So where is the online shaming hit-list for all other ex-criminals?

Mr Hinch is an outspoken advocate for a sex offender registry in Australia and New Zealand and has been convicted and imprisoned multiple times for contempt of court for breaching suppression orders by revealing details of offenders.

He believes naming sex offenders won't necessarily identify the victims of abuse and says in some cases the victims want to be named so their attackers can be convicted.

"I'd do anything to protect a victim's identity. They've been through hell so they should be protected," he says.

The media personality says the current system of suppressing sex offenders names is not working and is letting the public down.

Mr Hinch says nearly 150,000 people have signed a petition calling for changes.

NEW ZEALAND - Another attempt to establish a sex offenders register

Anne Tolley

Original Article

03/06/2014

By Felix Marwick and Sam Thompson

The Police Minister says research has been done on how to establish a sex offenders register in New Zealand.

Police and the Corrections Department are working on the proposal and legislation enabling a register could go to Parliament before the election.

Police Minister Anne Tolley says they've had a look at problems that were identified when former ACT MP Deborah Coddington tried - and failed - to establish such a register a decade ago.

"Certainly had a look at that. I've looked at other jurisdictions and we've tried to learn from that."

Ms Tolley says police and corrections are already sharing information around the issue.

"I'd like to see the legislation in the house before the election but it's a pretty full programme. It will work its way through the Cabinet process."

She says the register would be administered by police in conjunction with the Corrections Department.

Deborah Coddington is welcoming Anne Tolley's move.

There have been arguments that the register will be used by vigilantes to attack the sex offenders.

But she says the register wouldn't be a wholesale release to the public.

"I think that people like school principals, police, those sort of people will always be responsible with this information and it will no doubt keep a lot more children safe."

But the latest bid has already fallen foul of the Greens.

Co-Leader Metiria Turei says her Party's never supported a register in the past as they don't think it's the way to provide safety for families and children.

"It is something of a distraction from what's really needed which is investment in families and children, investment in services that protect against family violence."