Government is taking a firm approach to law and order, and we are seeing results, writes East Coast MP Dana Kirkpatrick

As your electorate Member of Parliament, I am proud to be part of a Government which was elected on a promise to restore law and order.

Since the election, we have made real progress, and this is being seen across our region.

Youth crime is dropping fast – a 13 percent reduction in serious and persistent offending by young people has already been achieved.

The ram raids which forced the permanent closure of retail outlets in Whakatāne have been all but eliminated, with numbers across the country down by more than two-thirds.

Ministers Paul Goldsmith and Mark Mitchell have visited our region in the past 12 months and spoken to retailers, business owners and action has been taken to make our community a much safer one in which to live and work.

We’ve got more cops on the beat, gang patches are banned, and the Three Strikes legislation is back.

Our new sentencing reforms have just kicked in, restoring real consequences for crime.

New reforms cap sentencing discounts that judges can apply at 40 percent, prevent repeat discounts for youth and remorse, and encourage cumulative sentencing for offences committed while on bail, in custody, or on parole. The culture of excuses is over.

And our first responders, those hardworking police officers, firefighters, paramedics and prison officers deserve better when they put their lives on the line to save others.

They will now be better served because injuring a first responder or prison officer with intent will have a maximum sentence of seven years’ imprisonment and will be added to the Three Strikes to ensure mandatory minimum sentences in line with that regime.

We’re also introducing a specific coward punch offence – coward punches are incredibly dangerous – people can be killed or suffer lifelong brain injuries, the cost to families and the community from one – often unprovoked punch is enormous.

We’ll make sure that those who commit a coward punch offence with intent to cause grievous bodily harm could be sentenced to up to 15 years in jail.

Retailers across our region, from supermarkets to small retailers have told me previously that shoplifting is a major issue.  

Nationally, the cost of retail crime has climbed to $1.4 billion a year. That’s all money that could, and should, be flowing into our economy.

So, we have introduced new shoplifting charges which will mean that for stolen goods valued up to $500, infringement fees will be up to $500. For goods valued at over $500, fees will be up to $1000.

We will also strengthen existing theft penalties, with a maximum of one year imprisonment for

theft of a value under $2000- and seven-years imprisonment for theft over the value of $7000.

Additionally, business owners have told me that abuse of staff is a huge issue for employees – no-one deserves to be abused at work.

So, this Government is making changes to the trespass laws to make them more effective and practical for businesses.

We’ll do that by increasing the maximum trespass period from two to three years, with fines for breaches. This makes running a business safer for the employees and customers.

We’re serious about restoring law and order, and the progress we have made shows that. Every Kiwi deserves the right to feel safe at work, at home, and in their communities.

Please feel free to contact me on: [email protected]