Who can forget John Key, Judith Collins, Tony Ryall inter alia blaming Helen Clark for murder rates when Labour was in government.
It was of course nonsense, and I’m not going to suggest Key is personally responsible for each murder in New Zealand, and I’m not going to blame the Police as they did either.
But for the record there were 65 murders in the last financial year, didn’t break the record of 68 in 1996 (when National was in government) but well above average, and the highest figure since that 1996 peak.
Any apology John. Or are you going to take responsibility as you suggested Helen should?
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Meanwhile, Ms Collins has asked police to collect different crime statistics to show a picture that rewards proactive policing, rather then penalising it.
“The crime statistics as published by the Department of Statistics don’t give any indication of what’s really going on.”
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10659934
This was where Ms Collins was claiming ‘more police on weekends’ were having an effect on the murder rate in Manukau
Seems like random fluctuations are good news when they are going down
Of course the number of murders in NZ is tiny compared to the population and variations do happen.
But surely questions in the House could quote Key and others who back then blamed Helen and the Labour Government?
The people should hear the message.
“Violent crime up again thanks to John Key’s Government. People. Be very afraid. Your life is in danger. Your womenfolk are unsafe. John Key’s Government has made life worse!”
A bit unfair really but those who live by the sword……
He can take responsibility for the inequality he’s created that will have increased violence if not murders.
Watching them govern the country is murder
Blaming each other for the murder rate, how mature…
Where did I say it didn’t..?
Don’t worry, with Garrett’s three strikes law in force all those naughty people will be locked away, keeping all us tax payers (whilst we still have jobs that is) safe.
But, when they do fill up all the prisons and have to feed, heat and guard the inmates, how will we fund that – Garth McVicar might do a Telethon, or Don Key might give some of his millions.
Excellent headline, Trevor.
Shame about the substance.
I believe the murder rate is related to long hot summer days (the sun) .. or so we were told about 3 years ago
Oh the Righties are feeling the bite now. And its only beginning
“Oh the Righties are feeling the bite now. And its only beginning”
Well sorry to say CV I’m a rightie and I’m not feeling any bite. Instead I bask in warmth and spring sunshine, all the time.
Isn’t it wonderful?
Possibly the wrong time to make that comment, but never mind.
er?
@Trevor Mallard
Sorry but I don’t really agree… I would say more crime due to the recession which cause higher unemployment, more stressful conditions, combined with stagnant wages and rising prices etc…
National didn’t cause the recession, neither did labour!
But this is happening under a national government. They not really causing it but they aren’t really trying to fix the situation either.
@jabba – wow, I would have thought that the murderers would have prefered the dark!
“Possibly the wrong time to make that comment, but never mind.er?” CRUNCH!
mwahahahahaha!
Agreed Red!
Seriously Spud?
Really?
I see.
Sorry man
I’ll buy some nice flowers for your grave 
reid of course neatly sidestepping the point that it was Key and co who started this daft debate!
As socioeconomic inequality worsens throughout the NACT term, I wonder if our violent crime statistics will get better or worse.
Kinda bucks historical worldwide trends really. Left wing governments have been responsible for far more murders than righties. Pograms anyone?
If that happens I guess we’ll see if the Spirit Level is right or if it should be renamed the Spirit Illusion…
Simon. Pograms reached their heights during the monarchy.
Stalin was a power hungry megalomaniac. Not a socialist.
Jeremy. Our crime statistics have worsened markedly since Rogernomics and Ruthenasia as have all our other social indicators. as they have in every other society where inequality has increased. “If it looks like a duck and quaks like a duck it most likely is a duck!”
@Ian: they could even do a Running Man and legalise snuff TV.
Snuff TV?
Here is a curious thing about that increasing poverty, though – and it’s something that has received very little press attention: It has not resulted in a higher crime rate. In fact, according to the FBI, even as unemployment was spiking during 2009, the rate of murders, rapes, robberies, and aggravated assaults declined by 4.4 percent compared with the previous year. As even the Washington Post acknowledged, the conventional wisdom for many decades has been that “economic trouble breeds lawlessness.”
http://www.postchronicle.com/commentary/article_212325535.shtml
‘Excellent headline, Trevor.
Shame about the substance.”
@Reid??? What? Given the double std key likes to play – constantly – the substance is fine, the ‘headline’ appropriate and what would you rather? Labour to just ‘forget it’ – I dont think so – given the hypocritical double std here where the Nats blamed Helen (and I dont recall the right getting on their high horse then…) for a high murder rate…well…if one throws stones one should expect some of them to bounce back and whack them on the head. Key promised to lower crime etc and oh no – another promise he could not keep. (just addem to all the bull and PR kiwis were fed – whats criminal here is that there are still those of you who continue to buy it – whats that saying – you get what you pay for??)
StephR, I see you like to source your articles from the ridiculous US Republican/Democrat culture wars.
Anyhows, why would crime go up just as unemployment spikes? You got to let the desperation soak through the society and people start running out of unemployment benefits first.
Here is something more frightening than snuff TV:
http://msn.nzherald.co.nz/television/news/article.cfm?c_id=339&objectid=10677846
Shudder
!
@spud – lol!! Oh pleeese put trolley into a class – I would love to see her teach for a day or three in an average class – as that would be hard enough – but boy would it be ‘sport’ to watch her in a class with some tricky kids – and finding a tricky group is as easy as going to the closest school. Be heaps of fun.
He he he
Thanks paul that image cheered me up! 
People’s stake in a “law abiding” diminishes as their access to the hopes and dreams of a better life diminishes. The shift is slow over time and difficult to reverse without radical change in direction.
Acceptance of moral right and wrong is still widely entrenched in the community groups that show the higher “crime figures” with minor crime.
That is in contrast to the greater crimes committed by the corporate sector strip mining community assets with no moral qualms. This shocking example set is not missed.
Alienation from a share in wealth, employment and percieved fair go , forms the platform for a slide into greater acceptance of crime in the lower socio-economic zones that account for higher crime stats.
Higher crime figures do accompany social break down.
Health Education and employment form a core of our community and none of them are high priority in NZ.
The priority is ” economy growth” working for a narrow sector directly, a sector that refuses to allow wider community benefits yet promulgates the myth that some trickle down is a functional mechanism.
The justification for Nact and the business roundtable’s short sightedness to the damage done to our community is seldom attempted and an alternative model never debated with public information.
Voice for alternatives are muted with media controlled by one largely group.
As the equity stakes diminish further for most of NZ and the wealth grows for a small group, surprise at rise of crime surely is naive. Publishing crime figures is usually done in a way to foster alarm and fear rather that as an indication of wrong direction for the governing forces.
Fear is used widely to control and divide a community and we see the subtle and blunt use of fear to provide a narrow range of choices given by Nact parading as rational discussion.
Further foundation work by Nact consolidating corporate rule of NZ is evident and before too long Local councils will further feel the bite of service and supply for profit consuming local rates.
It is a Bonanza for open exploitation with the rude blueprint openly forced on Auckland. Auckland down and who is next.
The protection of our way of life is not only threatened but we are losing so much with each small, usually irreversible step.
Already the banks own more than half of NZ rural land. How did that happen?
Home ownership is fragile for the next generation as we move to a falling percentage of private home ownership. The pattern of economic management and banking is steadily shrinks this KIWI dream.
This Government does not stand for NZ interests but supports fiscal speculation and multinational “investment” in place of NZ enterprise and control of this country’s wealth locally.
As people are further disenfranchised crime will figures grow over the longer term.
@ Spud – That looks brilliant! Comedy gold
What’s snuff TV?
Yeah, I guess it is
Ryall will be quite fetching in all those colours and stripes