Two alleged assaults at National’s boot camps should be the final wake-up call to scrap them now.
“Assaults are happening, participants are leaving, and Christopher Luxon is still pushing ahead with a law to lock young people into these failed boot camps,” Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime said.
“It is reckless to make boot camps longer and remove a young person’s ability to leave.
“The first pilot was a complete failure and waste of taxpayer money, with the majority of participants reoffending within the year.
“Under National we’re seeing serious incidents in our youth justice facilities and more harm in care. This is not rehabilitation – it is entrenching harm and violent behaviour.
“Luxon can still do the right thing and scrap this Bill now before it becomes law.
“Labour strongly opposes the Government’s boot camps.
“National's harmful dog whistle approach is taking New Zealand backwards. We should not be returning to a model with such a clear history of harm.
“We cannot afford another three years of National,” Willow-Jean Prime said.
