Tough new gang laws will officially come into effect at midnight tonight.
Under the new legislation, gang insignia will be banned in all public places, courts will be able to issue non-consorting orders, and Police will be able to stop criminal gang members from associating and communicating, as committed to in the National, Act and NZ First coalition agreements.
, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith and Police Minister Mark Mitchell say.
“Gang patches will no longer be able to be worn in public. To earn the right to wear a gang patch you have to have committed violent crime. There are a trail of tears and victims behind each one of those gang patches,” said Justice Minister, Paul Goldsmith.
“Gangs in our country think they’re above the law and can choose which laws they comply with, and this Government does not accept that. We have a justice system that applies equally to everyone.
Mr Goldsmith said greater weight will also be given to gang membership at sentencing, enabling courts to impose more severe punishments.
“Repeat offenders continually convicted of displaying their patches in public will be subject to a new court order, prohibiting them from possessing any gang insignia either in public or private for five years,” he said.
“Labour did absolutely nothing to stem the 50% increase in gang members under their watch. Between their offender-oriented approach to justice and their rotating carousel of police ministers, gang life was far more appealing than it should ever be to any young New Zealander,” said Police Minister, Mark Mitchell.
“With the establishment of district gang units, Police are ready to make maximum use of the new tools brought in to target disruptive gang events, and enforce the new gang laws.”
Gang members make up less than one-quarter of 1% of the New Zealand adult population, but are linked to 18% of all serious violent crime, 19% of all homicides and 23% of all firearms offences, said Mr Mitchell.
“Our message to the gangs is clear, the days of behaving like you are above the law are over.”
“This Government is serious about restoring law and order, backing Police with more powers and tools to tackle gangs, disrupt criminal behaviour, and keep Kiwis safe,” he said.
