Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is, Melissa

ACT New Zealand Mt Albert Candidate John Boscawen today challenged National's Melissa Lee to prove how serious she is about the issue of law and order by showing her support for ACT's 'Three Strikes' legislation.

"Ms Lee missed the PSA by-election debate last night - attended by all the other major candidates - as she felt it was more important to attend a local Neighbourhood Watch meeting," Mr Boscawen said.

"She claimed that she had to attend the Neighbourhood Watch meeting as she had championed the community constable - a fact that has now been disputed by Labour's Clayton Cosgrove.

"Obviously Ms Lee must feel passionately about law and order if she was willing to miss the debate and wants to be seen to be helping the community, regardless of whether her claims of championing the constable are actually true.

"Supporting ACT's 'Three Strikes' would have far more impact on crime and if Ms Lee wants to do anything to improve law and order in New Zealand - instead of making questionable claims about one community constable - she should make a difference on a national scale and come out in support of ACT's 'Three Strikes'," Mr Boscawen said.