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Wow. This fucking sack of shit killed FOUR people in two accidents in the past and has just clocked up his 12th offence, and he gets 6 months home detention, some community service and two year licence suspension? Fuck that judge. This guy clearly gives no fucks for the law at all.
Also, the penalties for drunk driving causing injury/death are way too lax. -
NZ has a massive problem with drink driving and speeding. Our laws are obviously way too lax. Having a driver's license is a privilege, not a right. You don't have to have a license to live.
This part sums it up:
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Among Hawthorn's many convictions are 12 for drink-driving, 10 for driving while disqualified, three for dangerous driving, and one for careless driving, as well as others for burglary, theft, drugs and violence.
'''Why did he still have a license? And why will he get it back in 2 years? If the judge thinks he's better off in rehab then fine, though I'd lock him up, but he should never have a valid license again. That may not completely stop him from driving, but at least the police could arrest him every time they saw him on the road.
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@no-quarter curious as to why you say NZ has a massive problem with drink driving and speeding. I ain't lived there for decades, so I don't know but massive problem relative to what?
Stats show increases in accidents and fatalities? More dui charges? Worse than ever in history?Not having a go but I wonder about authorities and media dramatising our road fears. Apparently there's money to be made out there.
As for the fuckwit in the article, what's the main, number 1 objective of our criminal justice system? Is it to protect society or the rights of criminals? If the former then MAKE him unable to drive, don't fucken ask him!
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@siam said in NZ Politics:
"Apparently there's money to be made out there."That is why they changed the law to catch people over 250 mcg breath. Just a fine, no court appearance. Basically you can't even have a beer, so not drunk, but still get fined.
I don't have a problem with it, at least you know where you stand, rather than wondering whether a second one is wise even for a 90 kg bloke. You just can't have any alcohol at all, really simple, but it does sound like revenue collecting rather than fixing our horrendous road toll.
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@siam said in NZ Politics:
@no-quarter curious as to why you say NZ has a massive problem with drink driving and speeding. I ain't lived there for decades, so I don't know but massive problem relative to what?
Stats show increases in accidents and fatalities? More dui charges? Worse than ever in history?Not having a go but I wonder about authorities and media dramatising our road fears. Apparently there's money to be made out there.
As for the fuckwit in the article, what's the main, number 1 objective of our criminal justice system? Is it to protect society or the rights of criminals? If the former then MAKE him unable to drive, don't fucken ask him!
Yeah, fair point about the media, hyperbole is what they do.
But, I know that following a decline in road deaths in line with other western countries, we have had a sharp increase in recent years. Mostly to do with speeding and drink driving. Overall we sit around the middle of the pack when it comes to deaths by population, but the recent trends are heading in the wrong direction. Granted there are other issues at play - nearly half our highways have very poor safety ratings as they are too narrow and have nothing separating traffic - but when you see cases like this you have to wonder why we are letting people like him back on the roads. And this case is far from the only one like it out there, our laws for repeat offenders are just way too lax.
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@no-quarter said in NZ Politics:
This part sums it up:
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Among Hawthorn's many convictions are 12 for drink-driving, 10 for driving while disqualified, three for dangerous driving, and one for careless driving,
'''and yet the judge thinks suspension is the solution.
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Her only achievement of note of 22 years in parliament is marrying her cousin
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@mn5 yep, I think you kill someone while under the influence you should eb charged with as close to murder as they can.
And being banned from driving for 2 years, FFS, should be banned for life after 2 drink driving convictions...but given his disregard for the law, he'd drive anyway.
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@taniwharugby said in Alternative needed from the absolute crap of stuff.co.nz:
@mn5 yep, I think you kill someone while under the influence you should eb charged with as close to murder as they can.
And being banned from driving for 2 years, FFS, should be banned for life after 2 drink driving convictions...but given his disregard for the law, he'd drive anyway.
Was listening to talk back, apparently he had the option to reduce his sentence by attending AA classes and refused. He got ten years and served the lot cos he's clearly a stubborn fuck.
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Whatever his tipple of choice, someone fills a barrel and drowns him in it.
(Honestly, I cannot even fathom how this guy with four deaths and multiple offences to his name has still even had a license to lose let alone be suspended. And it shouldn't be a choice of alcohol rehabilitation, but a long, long stay in a secure facility.)
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@taniwharugby @Mokey @MN5 its all of our fault apparently
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=12164640
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@jegga in part I think there is some truth in that, the soft approach to his convictions, even being allowed to drive at all, but at the end of the day, if someone doesn't think they have a problem or want help then no amount of help provided will matter.
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@jegga said in NZ Politics:
@taniwharugby @Mokey @MN5 its all of our fault apparently
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=12164640
Yeah, definitely give him more chances. He might still learn.
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@taniwharugby said in NZ Politics:
@jegga in part I think there is some truth in that, the soft approach to his convictions, even being allowed to drive at all, but at the end of the day, if someone doesn't think they have a problem or want help then no amount of help provided will matter.
Yep - wasn't he offered a reduced sentence if he attended AA or similar, but preferred "yeah, ... nah" ?
That's pretty much the "System" offering the "help" that article presumably suggests (didn't read it, been drinking, oh the irony)... and him refusing it. -
@kruse said in NZ Politics:
@taniwharugby said in NZ Politics:
@jegga in part I think there is some truth in that, the soft approach to his convictions, even being allowed to drive at all, but at the end of the day, if someone doesn't think they have a problem or want help then no amount of help provided will matter.
Yep - wasn't he offered a reduced sentence if he attended AA or similar, but preferred "yeah, ... nah" ?
That's pretty much the "System" offering the "help" that article presumably suggests (didn't read it, been drinking, oh the irony)... and him refusing it.He was given counselling for his alcohol issues which the original article tries to gloss over. He's obviously nuts.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=3566555
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@jegga Grrrr. Articles like that piss me off. The only person responsible for an addict's behaviour is the addict. No system is perfect, we know that, but if an addict refuses help, or doesn't actually want to change, then it is doomed to fail. That is not the system's fault. And if fucking KILLING people wasn't this guy's rock bottom, then he has other serious issues than just being a drunk.
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@mokey said in NZ Politics:
@jegga Grrrr. Articles like that piss me off. The only person responsible for an addict's behaviour is the addict. No system is perfect, we know that, but if an addict refuses help, or doesn't actually want to change, then it is doomed to fail. That is not the system's fault. And if fucking KILLING people wasn't this guy's rock bottom, then he has other serious issues than just being a drunk.
I'm all for rehab and counselling in some cases and part of me does feel for people with genuine problems but that sympathy goes out the fucken window when fluffybunnies like this effect and kill others with their actions.
NZ Politics