- By Christopher Luxon, Prime Minister and MP for Botany
National campaigned on restoring law and order and on ensuring all New Zealanders felt safe in their own homes and communities.
Throughout the last term, I heard daily stories of ram-raids, violence, and robberies against everyday Kiwis just trying to go about their lives.
Since becoming Prime Minister, my Government has been committed to getting law and order back under control.
This week, police data revealed our commitment is working, with promising changes across key police statistics.
Ram-raids are down 60 per cent, aggravated robbery is down 11 per cent and serious assaults have dropped three per cent compared to 2023.
Overall, we’ve seen a three per cent reduction in total victimisations.
In further good news, police foot patrols have increased 30 per cent as we deliver on our campaign commitment to get more cops on the beat.
This week also brought bad news for gangs, as a raft of tough new laws took effect to crack down on gang activity.
Gang insignia is now banned in all public places, courts are able to issue non-consorting orders, and police will be able to stop gang members from associating and communicating.
When I became Prime Minister, I was fed up with the fact that gang members operated as if they were above the law.
As of this week, the free ride for gangs is over. My Government does not accept the fact that gangs in our country think can choose which laws they comply with.
Our plan to restore law and order is working, but we know there is much more work to do.
Rest assured this Government is doing all it can to make New Zealand the safest country in the world and to restore the clear sense of safety that New Zealanders once felt.
