“After more than five years of cuddling criminals and ignoring victims, Labour’s sudden pre-election change of heart on crime is hardly believable. It’s too late, the horse has bolted, there has to be Real Change this election to put law and order in place again,” says ACT Leader David Seymour.

“New Zealanders are being terrorised by thugs in their homes, in their businesses, and on the streets. We have a serious problem, and it all comes back to values. The big question is: who do you trust to be tough on crime, ACT or Labour?

“It was the Labour Government who set a goal of cutting the number of people behind bars by 30 per cent. Now we’re seeing the consequences. Since 2017:

• Acts intended to cause injury are up 42%
• Serious assaults resulting in injury are up 122%
• Serious assaults not resulting in injury is up 95%
• Sexual Assault and Related Offences is up 19%
• Aggravated Sexual Assaults are up 20%

“While Labour is now proposing youth offenders might need to pick up rubbish, ACT has been proposing for months instant penalties for youth offenders, rather than clogging up the youth court with the possibility of a penalty six months later.

“Last week ACT proposed harsher sentences for crimes occurring in the workplace, and for 17-year-olds to be included in the adult justice system. Prior to that we’ve proposed a clear pathway of consequences from instant practical penalties to ankle bracelets for offenders, to secure facilities to keep offenders in if they do not comply with earlier sanctions.

“No one’s buying Chris Hipkins as tough on crime. He was Police Minister when ram raids became a daily occurrence, and his only answer then was the band-aid of spending $11 million on fog cannons, a great policy for fog cannon makers, but it did nothing to stop crime happening. He did everything but make it easier to lock up criminals.

ACT will make sure there is real change if elected this October:

• ACT will ensure harsher sentences for crime in the workplace.
• ACT will review the use of electronic monitoring for violent offenders and abolish the prison population reduction target, to directly target repeat offending.
• ACT will build more prison beds so that serious offenders are put behind bars.
• ACT will require individuals to complete skills or rehabilitation programmes prior to being considered for parole. There will be no early release without rehabilitation.
• ACT will bring back three strikes for violent offenders, and a separate Three Strikes regime for burglary offences.
• ACT will introduce an infringement notice offence for shoplifting, resulting in instant, practical punishments such as fines and community service to ensure the shoplifter takes responsibility for their offending.
• ACT will introduce ankle bracelets for serious youth offenders.
• ACT will bring 17-year-olds back into the adult justice system.

“It’s going to take a Government with ACT at the centre to take crime seriously, restore proper consequences, and put victims first.”

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