Bail Amendment Bill

I move, That the Bail Amendment Bill be now read a third time. This bill will make it harder for those accused of serious offences to get bail. It will improve public safety and ensure the overall integrity of New Zealand’s bail system. The Government is confident that the bill strikes the right balance between upholding public safety and maintaining fundamental rights, such as the presumption of innocence and freedom from arbitrary detention. The bill improves public safety by reversing the burden of proof in bail decisions for defendants charged with very serious offences such as murder and class A drug offences.

The bill also expands the list of offences where a defendant faces a reverse burden of proof when they are being considered for bail, if they have been convicted of one of these offences before. The new offences include kidnapping, aggravated burglary, assault with intent to rob, and sexual conduct with a child under 12 years or a young person under 16 years. All of these changes will make perfect sense for most New Zealanders.

Debate interrupted.

Sitting suspended from 10 p.m. to 9 a.m. (Wednesday)