ISSUE
Friday, August 22, 2025
Volume 16 . Issue 73
The rights of the victims of murderer Phillip John Smith are being completely overlooked. The Summary of Chief Custodial Officer Review in to the Failure to Return from Temporary Release of Phillip John Smith is full of good information and offers 13 recommendations, unfortunately the rights of victims have not been taken in to account in two of the recommendations.
The victims were not informed of Smith’s temporary release, despite them being listed on the Victim Notification Register. Appallingly, they were also not informed that he had escaped his temporary release and fled New Zealand.
It has been reported that Corrections has rightly apologised to the victims, however, apologies are just words when there is no action to back them up.
First: the Victim Notification Register system needs to be reviewed. Phillip Smith is subject to the VNR and his victims are listed on it, but they didn’t know that Smith was on temporary release let alone escaped from it
Second: There is a recommendation that a Temporary Release Advisory Panel be set up and chaired by Prison Managers. This is good, however, the recommendation about who should be on the panel does not include victims or representatives of victims. This is a complete oversight.
It is New Zealand First’s belief that the victims of crime in New Zealand should be respected, their rights are paramount. They should feel safe – they should not live in fear of the offender escaping.
Every New Zealander should feel safe and every victim should be respected and protected by the Government and systems that have been put in place to do so. Corrections has rightly apologised to the victims, however, apologies are just words when there is no action to back them up. The action we need to see is that the Victim Notification Register system needs to be reviewed and victims must be represented on the Temporary Release Advisory Panel.
It’s time the Minister of Corrections Hon Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga showed respect to the victims of crime in New Zealand and took action to ensure they are protected.
The rights of the victims of murderer Phillip John Smith are being completely overlooked. The Summary of Chief Custodial Officer Review in to the Failure to Return from Temporary Release of Phillip John Smith is full of good information and offers 13 recommendations, unfortunately the rights of...
The rights of the victims of murderer Phillip John Smith are being completely overlooked. The Summary of Chief Custodial Officer Review in to the Failure to Return from Temporary Release of Phillip John Smith is full of good information and offers 13 recommendations, unfortunately the rights of victims have not been taken in to account in two of the recommendations.
The victims were not informed of Smith’s temporary release, despite them being listed on the Victim Notification Register. Appallingly, they were also not informed that he had escaped his temporary release and fled New Zealand.
It has been reported that Corrections has rightly apologised to the victims, however, apologies are just words when there is no action to back them up.
First: the Victim Notification Register system needs to be reviewed. Phillip Smith is subject to the VNR and his victims are listed on it, but they didn’t know that Smith was on temporary release let alone escaped from it
Second: There is a recommendation that a Temporary Release Advisory Panel be set up and chaired by Prison Managers. This is good, however, the recommendation about who should be on the panel does not include victims or representatives of victims. This is a complete oversight.
It is New Zealand First’s belief that the victims of crime in New Zealand should be respected, their rights are paramount. They should feel safe – they should not live in fear of the offender escaping.
Every New Zealander should feel safe and every victim should be respected and protected by the Government and systems that have been put in place to do so. Corrections has rightly apologised to the victims, however, apologies are just words when there is no action to back them up. The action we need to see is that the Victim Notification Register system needs to be reviewed and victims must be represented on the Temporary Release Advisory Panel.
It’s time the Minister of Corrections Hon Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga showed respect to the victims of crime in New Zealand and took action to ensure they are protected.
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