Prisoner vote not a priority

Wellington: Prisoners look unlikely to get the vote any time soon, even after a Supreme Court ruling in their favour.

The country’s highest court released a decision yesterday upholding a High Court decision that said the voting ban was inconsistent with the Bill of Rights.

The former National government banned all prisoners from voting in 2010. Before then, inmates could vote if they were jailed for less than three years.

Justice Minister Andrew Little told reporters he personally disagreed with the ban, but the Government as a whole had yet to take a position.

‘‘It’s not that much of a priority,’’ he said. — RNZ