The threat from within

was the main emphasis of RNZRSA National President David Cox's address to the 2002 National Council meeting.

Every ANZAC Day the people of this country commemorate the sacrifice of some 30,000 young New Zealanders who lost their lives in the defence of justice and freedom. They died that we might live in a country - and a world - free from the threat of international bigotry and violence.

I believe they also died in the hope that their country would, after the cessation of hostilities, be a better and safe place to live in.

But is it?

Our Government tells us we have nothing to fear in the way of attack from without our borders, that we live in a safe military benign corner of the South Pacific. Some may agree, some won't, but what of the threat from within?

Are we safe in our workplaces?

Do we feel secure in our homes?

Can we, without fear, walk on our streets at night?

Is it possible to go about our daily lives without the fear of intimidation, physical violence, and even murder?

The answer to all four questions is, of course, an emphatic, No!

David Cox RNZRSA National President

With terrible regularity the media tells us of another bashing, another home-invasion, another robbery with violence, another rape, another murder.

Day after day our overworked Police force is tasked with solving yet another crime of violence and hopefully pinging the perpetrator to court.

For most of us, it always happens to someone else, to someone not known to us personally, and all we do is deplore what is happening in our community, shrug our shoulders, and do nothing about it.

Then suddenly, without warning, it happens to your family, yes - your family, the RSA family.

On the morning of Saturday, December 8, last year the whole New Zealand community was deeply shocked and appalled at the violent deaths of three members of Mt Wellington-Panmure RSA and of the horrendous injuries inflicted on a fourth staff member.

The ferocity of the wanton attacks on president Bill Absolum, Wayne Johnson, Mary Hobson and Susan Couch, all going about their quiet and lawful lives, was totally indescribable, the like of which, thank God, has been rarely seen in New Zealand.

Since then there has been a horrendous rash of murders and other extremely violent crime. Among them, the recent murderous robberies in Auckland, and the riverbank slaying and the child kidnapping in the Hutt Valley.

The Police do their part - in most cases with great speed and efficiency - in apprehending the offenders and, after being found guilty, the courts sentence them.

And what do they get - life imprisonment?

No - not life imprisonment - may be 15 or 17 years for extremely violent and vicious cases, but many are back on the streets in just ten years, taking up their normal life once again after depriving their victim a life forever. The life sentence is not imposed on the criminal, but on those loved ones left behind.

Life imprisonment must mean life imprisonment. Life imprisonment, without parole is the only acceptable sentence for criminals who commit such abominable atrocities as those at Mt Wellington-Panmure RSA, and the recent executions of the ASB bank teller and the young pizza worker in Auckland.

The new Sentencing and Parole Reform Bill is not enough. Surely it is time for Parliament to amend the Act to ensure that those who take a life, surrender their's forever. Only then will some - I regret, not all - of these thugs, think twice before indulging in life-taking crime. The verdict of "not guilty because of insanity" must be replaced with "guilty but insane".

The payment for taking a life must be imprisonment for the term of the criminal's natural life - anything short of that becomes a gratuitous insult to the victim, his or her loved ones and the whole community.

There is also the question of multiple offences, where those responsible are sentenced to concurrent terms of imprisonment irrespective of the number of proven charges.

It is farcical that in reality they are paying the price for only one offence when they have committed several. If they do the crime they must do the time - cumulatively.

And here, ladies and gentlemen, sadly I must remind you all, that when you return home from this council meeting, you seriously review not only the security of your associations and clubs but your own personal security as well. To borrow the motto from our Australian colleagues in the RSL - "the price of freedom, and may I add safety, is eternal vigilance".

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