Great line

In response to the suggestion by Chief Justice Elias that the Government reduce prison populations through a mass early release amnesty, Simon Power gave an excellent response:

Justice Minister Simon Power said inmates would not get amnesties.

He also made a pointed remark about the role of the judiciary versus Parliament.

“This is not government policy. The Government was elected to set sentencing policy, judges are appointed to apply it.”

Indeed that is how it works. And it is not as if any prisoners server their full sentences anyway. Almost everyone gets out at two thirds of their sentence, and some even get out at one third. They already have lots out on early release.