By Mike Bain/The Daily Examiner.

A stance taken earlier this year by Green MP Tamantha Paul to support the disestablishing of the Police and releasing prisoners has grown legs and appears to be adopted as a part of their budget document.

ACT Justice spokesman Todd Stephenson is disappointed, but not surprised, at the Green Party’s plan to release criminals in order to partially fund their latest socialist manifesto.

“Buried in their proposed budget is a $770 million ‘saving’ from ‘averting increase in prisoner numbers’ – with no further explanation.

“That’s just doublespeak for opening the prison gates and letting thugs and thieves back onto our streets.

“Even taking the most inflated prisoner cost figures at face value, this amounts to 3,850 criminals being released into the community.

“I’m disappointed, but not surprised, that this is the latest wacky idea from the Greens.

This is the same party that fundraises for prison and police abolition groups, criticises increased beat patrols, and lies about how many people are in prison due to non-violent offences.

Green MP Tāmatha Paul has previously aligned herself with organizations advocating for defunding the police and abolishing prisons.

She has been involved in fundraising efforts for People Against Prisons Aotearoa, a group that openly calls for radical police abolition. Paul has also criticized increased police patrols, arguing that they contribute to community distrust and disproportionately target marginalized groups.

“Even then, their soft-on-crime plan wouldn’t pay for more than a third of their $2.5 billion hiring spree for bureaucrats. It’s a dangerous and unserious idea from a party that clearly doesn’t care about public safety.”