Justice Minister Simon Power expressed confidence in the judiciary today after he ticked off Chief Justice Sian Elias last week for crossing constitutional boundaries.
Dame Sian gave a speech where among other things she raised the idea of amnesties for prisoners to ease the strain on prisons.
She suggested that a political and media focus on victims was having too great an influence.
Dame Sian said if attitudes in relation to bail and parole were not relaxed, then the focus would have to go on the length of prison sentences and this could result in either shorter sentences, changes to parole and bail laws or early release amnesty.
Mr Power rebuked her for the comments, saying "the Government was elected to set sentencing policy, judges are appointed to apply it".
Today in Parliament, Mr Power was questioned over his comments and stood by them saying issues of policy were for the Government.
"I was concerned, and made a careful statement about my concerns about the way those opinions were expressed. There is an appropriate context for judges to express their views to members of the executive, and I have to say that, by and large, most heads of bench do that," Mr Power said.
ACT MP David Garrett used the opportunity to attack Dame Sian, saying that she did not seem to care that William Bell was out of jail on parole when he murdered three people.
Mr Power ignored the question and replied "I have confidence in the judiciary".
