The three strikes law is "silly", doesn't work, and will be dismantled next year, Justice Minister Andrew Little says.
"It's been on the statute books for eight years now," Little told the Herald. "Our serious offending rate is rising, our prison population is rising. Throwing people into prison for longer and longer just isn't working."
However, repealing it was not in the Government's 100-day plan.
"It will be some time next year, I imagine. It's a silly law anyway, but I want to make sure when we do get rid of it, we can say, 'Here is our plan to reduce serious offending rates'."
Good. This law is manifestly unjust and imposes perverse and disproportionate sentences - just as it did in California. It has no place whatsoever in our justice system. The question is whether its victims, those who have suffered unjust sentences due to it, will be compensated. If they are, then we should send the bill to National and ACT.