Source: New Zealand Parliament – Hansard
Question No. 5—Justice
5. Hon PAUL GOLDSMITH (National) to the Minister of Justice: Is she confident the justice system is effectively responding to the recent surge in destructive retail crime and increased levels of violent crime?
Hon KIRITAPU ALLAN (Minister of Justice): To the first limb of the question, yes. As at 9 September, Police have taken 251 prosecutions and 104 youth referrals for ram raids, since January, out of 391 ram raids, at a rate of approximately 90 percent. In addition, to support an effective response across all of Government, multiple initiatives have been taken, including the rolling-out of nearly 1,000 fog cannons so retailers have an immediate deterrent to theft; we have established the National Retail Investigation Support Unit; we’ve launched a Better Pathways package that aims to place more young people in education, training, or work, to drive down youth crime; and we are progressing significant legislation through the Criminal Activity Intervention Legislation Bill and Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Amendment Bill to give Police additional powers to combat organised crime, building on the enactment of the Firearms Prohibition Orders Legislation Act.
Hon Paul Goldsmith: What does she say to a shopper at St Lukes mall who told Radio New Zealand, yesterday, after a daylight smash and grab, “[the] Police are doing what they can, but it’s the justice system … holding them back.”?
Hon KIRITAPU ALLAN: To that shop owner, I would say that across this House collectively, there is widespread shared concern about what we are seeing with this recent trend of a particular crime. And what I would also say to that shop owner is that across all of Government, we are taking both a preventative and rehabilitative approach, as well as a punitive approach where those offences have already occurred.
Hon Paul Goldsmith: What’s her response to another St Lukes shopper who said, “If you do something and you get away with it, sweet as, why wouldn’t you do it again?”, and is she concerned about public perception that there are few consequences for youth offenders?
Hon KIRITAPU ALLAN: In my original answer, I set out the Police prosecution rate for ram raids, in particular, this year. There’s been about 391. Of those, there have been 251 prosecutions and 104 youth referrals since January. This is a system that is responding to an emerging and immediate issue, and we are providing the wrap-around support that the justice sector requires.
Hon Paul Goldsmith: Does she agree that the justice system needs to balance the desire to rehabilitate criminals alongside the need to denounce criminal acts, to demonstrate serious consequences for serious crimes, and to provide justice for victims?
Hon KIRITAPU ALLAN: As I just stated, yes, we do believe in those principles, and, indeed, that is what our justice system provides for.
Hon Paul Goldsmith: Does she think the justice system is effectively denouncing heinous acts and providing justice to victims, when a male convicted of raping four females receives nine months home detention for his crimes?
Hon KIRITAPU ALLAN: As the member across the aisle will be well aware, we don’t discuss the particular outcomes and determinations of the judiciary; I’m not responsible for those outcomes. However, what I will say is that we have a Sentencing Act here, in New Zealand. The Sentencing Act that is in place today is the one that, too, was in place when that member’s party was at the helm of Government. This is a justice system that has served New Zealand well. There are always improvements that can be made. We are always looking at what we need to do as a Government to respond to emerging issues. And we are, indeed, doing that.
Hon Paul Goldsmith: Is she worried that a recent case, and others similar, signal a green light to young men that sex offending is accountability-free as long as you’re under 18 and promise to be good, while victims are left to deal with the trauma?
Hon KIRITAPU ALLAN: No. Further, I do want to just make an acknowledgment of the work that my colleague the Hon Marama Davidson is doing in family violence and sexual violence. There is a substantive amount of work that is going into ensuring that the victims of heinous crimes are being supported, and that, indeed, we, as a Government, have got the settings right when it comes to the justice sector, and also in terms of any other further additional measures that need to be wrapped-around to provide support for victims.
