Tackling drivers of crime no longer important to National?
Preventing alcohol and drug addicts from accessing addiction services in Canterbury is a short-sighted and stupid move, Labour Health spokesperson Ruth Dyson and Corrections spokesperson Clayton Cosgrove say.
“By stopping these people from receiving help in the health sector, the National Government is ensuring the public will pay for this move with increased crime and recidivist offending,” Clayton Cosgrove said.
“We are seeing penny pinching ideas happening all over the health sector right now that are simply transferring the problem from one department to another,” Ruth Dyson said.
“First it was ACC dumping its clients on the health sector and now it’s the health sector dumping clients on to the Corrections and Justice departments and the public.
“This is yet another frontline service cut from the National Government and a completely ridiculous one at that. Surely someone in the Government must have realised that preventing Ministry of Justice clients from accessing addiction services would actually cost more, further down the track,” Ruth Dyson said.
Clayton Cosgrove said Corrections Minister Judith Collins had repeatedly promised that more convicted criminals would be able to access rehabilitation services in order to reduce the amount of recidivist offending.
“I wonder if Ms Collins will be having a word with her colleague, Health Minister Tony Ryall, pointing out that by allowing Canterbury DHB to shut-out Ministry of Justice clients from addiction services that they are breaking two promises. The first to not reduce frontline health services and the second to get more people into addiction services.
“Are Judith Collins’ promises to tackle the drivers of crime like addiction just empty words, or will her Government be taking action to prevent this plan from going ahead?” Clayton Cosgrove said
