Labour says giving inmates the right to vote again is about human rights.

Cabinet Minister Kris Faafoi told Mike Hosking there's no good reason to prevent prisoners with sentences of three years or less from voting.

"It's pretty clear that both the courts and the judiciary body say there are a number of human rights obligations we need to stick to."

National MP Mark Mitchell says there's no evidence letting prisoners vote would turn them into good humans, and allow them to reintegrate.

He told Mike Hosking most prisoners have committed serious offending, normally with multiple victims

"We think that voting is a privilege, and you lose that until you come back out of prison."

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