Maori Steals From Non-Maori -
Open Letter (edited)
Copyright Mark Stead 2004
Dear Minister Goff
As a user of the New Zealand Court system I wish to offer to you, in your
capacity as Minister for Courts, a few suggestions which I hope you will consider.
Firstly; I would like to see an enactment embracing an offence of "Maori
steals from Non-Maori". This offence should carry a higher maximum penalty
than the offence of theft.
I make this proposal because Maori are disproportionately represented in
theft cases (and many other criminal cases) most of which may involve theft
from a Non-Maori.
This proposal follows logically on the flawed suggestion that an offence
of "Male assaults female" (which also attracts a higher penalty
than the offence of "Assault") was necessary because Men are more
likely to assault a women yet we can refer to numerous credible studies that
have conclusively found women to be as likely to use violence, and in most
cases more violence, more frequently than their male counterparts. They are
also found to be more likely to use a weapon!
However, I am certain you will ignore my proposal for an offence of "Maori
steals from Non-Maori" because such an offence would be a reprehensible
concept under any so-called equality doctrine. Similar logic must surely apply
to the offence of "Male assaults female" and it should immediately
be abolished.
The sexist and discriminatory offence of "Male assaults female"
together with the enactment and enforcement of that offence is a breach of
the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act. It is also a breach of The International
Covenant on Civil and Political Rights 1966 which is not bound by Bill Of
Rights Act s. 4, which allows other statutes to trump the Bill Of Rights Act.
If this offence of "Male assaults female" is not abolished forthwith
I will consider taking this issue to the Human Rights Committee.
Finally I would like you to consider changing the name of the "Family
Court" to "The Mommies Court". I say this because that name
would be more in keeping with the outcomes achieved by that institution. I
will be writing in the near future to advance this proposal further.
I thank you for taking the time to consider my suggestions.