The Government is defending its decision to overturn a law set by National which banned prisoners from voting.
The announcement on Saturday received backlash from National, with leader Simon Bridges calling out the Government for being "soft on crime".
However, Education Minister Chris Hipkins, who filled in for the Prime Minister on TVNZ1's Breakfast today, said the law change was "a fair approach" and about helping people leaving prison re-integrate back into society.
The change will see around 1900 prisoners get the ability to vote at next year’s general election.
"If you look at people who are in prison for less than three years, they'll be coming out within the next term of Parliament or the next term of Government," Mr Hipkins said.
Those sentenced to three years or less will now get the right to vote. (Source: Other)
"We want them to fully re-integrate into society, we want them to become contributing members of society. Actually voting is part of being a contributing member of society so they should be able to vote for the Government who is ultimately going to be making decisions about them once they are released from prisons."
Mr Hipkins also said there was a fairness question around what punishment an offender receives.
"Someone who is in prison for a three-year or less sentence, someone else could have done a similar crime and received a sentence that is not a custodial sentence or doesn't put them in prison, so they might be on home detention or some other form of sentence. So you've got people, both of whom did the same thing, one loses their right to vote and one doesn't."
The Government yesterday announced it is reversing a law allowing some prisoners to vote in elections. (Source: Other)
In 2010, the National-led Government implemented a total ban on prisoners' right to vote.
Since the Government announced it will reverse the law, Mr Bridges has come out saying it was "just plain wrong", and vowed to overturn the reform if National came back into Government.
The Government yesterday announced it is reversing a law allowing some prisoners to vote in elections. (Source: Other)
However, Mr Hipkins said when Mr Bridges was first asked about the issue he took the position of the current Government. That was before National came out in opposition of prisoners right to vote, he said.
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