National leader Christopher Luxon is calling for Police Minister Poto Williams to be axed as he doesn't think she is up to the job of tackling escalating gang violence.
His call comes in the wake of more than 20 drive-by shootings in two weeks.
"I think you now actually have to remove Poto Williams from the job and put someone else into it," Luxon told Breakfast on Wednesday.
"The reason is - I'm sure she's a good person - but she's struggling in that portfolio to make a change there."
READ MORE: Gangs: NZ has 'a clear escalation at the moment' - PM
Luxon said he did not make the call easily. "She's struggling in the job and you need to make a change."
National's leader claimed police want more leadership from Williams and feel her response to crime is being made up on the fly.
Luxon went on to say there had been a 21% increase in violent crime and a 40% growth in gangs under Labour.
He said there were three measures the Government could take to get tough on crime, which starts with Williams
Luxon wants a permanent dedicated gang unit, firearms prohibition laws, and the police pursuit policy reviewed.
It comes after a spate of shootings in Auckland – by Benedict Collins. (Source: 1News)
New Zealand already has a National Organised Crime Group and Gang Intelligence Centre.
Luxon said the police needed more power and resources.
"You also have to give them the tools to be able to be effective in clamping down on gangs and crime," Luxon said.
He said the tools needed to have teeth to clamp down on gangs, which are "peddling misery across New Zealand".
Luxon's comments come a day after Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said "political pot-shots" weren't keeping communities safer or supporting the police.
"We've increased police, we've increased the tactical response model, we have seized assets, and we have seized guns," she said.
"Let me be clear: the suggestion in this House that the tension between the Tribesmen and the Killer Beez is somehow to do with a Labour Government is patently wrong."
Ardern said the Government is continuing to make sure the police are well supported and there are enough officers.
She said the Government had also asked the police to tell it if there were any legislative changes which would help in their fight against gangs.
Luxon said the causes of crime, which he sees as poverty, inequality and a lack of education, also needed to be addressed.
"We need some real tools right now to clamp down on the crime that we're seeing," Luxon remarked.
"We need to be quite tough on it and we need to be really serious about it and make powerful interventions now, and likewise we need to continue to work long-term on what we call social investment, making sure we get to the causes of crime."
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