Opened the debate
Cash argued that the bill failed to address defects in the community safety detention order regime, specifically noting that the legal threshold for making such orders was excessively high. Cash cited evidence that no applications had been made for preventative detention orders for the NZYQ cohort, which she stated included serious criminals such as rapists and murderers. Cash contended that the government was unwilling or unable to approach courts to detain these individuals, thereby failing in its obligation to ensure community safety. Cash proposed amendments to lower the threshold for detention orders and to prevent the suspension of mandatory minimum sentences for visa condition breaches.