Truancy operation needs more teeth

new-zealand-national-party

Tue Oct 17 2006 13:00:00 GMT+1300 (New Zealand Daylight Time)

Truancy operation needs more teeth

Tuesday, 17 October 2006, 5:05 pm
Press Release: New Zealand National Party

Hon Bill English National Party Education Spokesman

17 October 2006

Truancy officers need more teeth to drive home parents' legal obligation to make sure their children attend school, says National Party Education spokesman Bill English.

His comments follow a truancy sweep in Christchurch yesterday which netted 65 students playing hookie.

Mr English says the important work of the truancy officers and police involved in the sweep would have been much more effective if they had had a greater range of options, such as referring parents to WINZ to have their family support payments docked.

"The threshold for prosecution is too high for the day-to-day policing of truancy laws, though the threat of prosecution does have a deterrent effect for some parents.

"The link between persistent truancy and criminal offending is strong. Schools and truancy officers work hard to keep kids in school but the buck has to stop with parents.

"If parents rip off the tax or benefit system, they have to pay it back with penalties. The penalties should be at least as tough when they rip off their own children's future.

"The work of truancy officers and police would be much more effective if they had greater powers to hit negligent parents where it hurts - in the pocket," says Mr English.

ENDS

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