Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has spoken out against National leader Chris Luxon’s proposed anti-gang laws, which includes the banning of gang patches.
In a speech to party members on Saturday, Luxon promised to give police four new powers that would "make life harder for criminal gangs".
The new powers would allow police to disperse public gang gatherings, prevent certain gang members from associating with each other, and also prevent certain gang members from accessing a gun.
Luxon also announced that a National government would ban gang insignia from publicly-accessible social media platforms, alongside all public spaces. He said gangs were increasingly using social media "to make their lifestyle appealing to kids".
READ MORE: National commits to tough new anti-gang laws if elected
Ardern said on Breakfast on Monday that while people may be “inclined to think that possibly, they could make some difference”, reports on similar laws overseas, particularly in Australia, have shown “how little difference that they have made” in antisocial behaviour and the recruitment of new members.
She said while the Government has firearm and prohibition orders underway preventing access to firearms, they are also working alongside police on proposals around additional tools to fight escalating gang tensions.
“We want to focus on those things that make a difference and that work because successive governments in different countries have often reacted and not made a difference.”
It comes as gang tensions continue to escalate, with the war between the Killer Beez and Tribesmen gangs spilling out onto Auckland's streets. The city has seen more than 20 drive-by shootings in two weeks, as well as multiple suspicious fires.
READ MORE: Killer Beez and Tribesmen gangs involved in Auckland shootings
Mongrel Mob honorary life member Harry Tam earlier told Breakfast that gang membership is a failure of successive governments to put in place long-term investment in areas such as deprivation, employment and training opportunities, and engagement.
Tam says the prevalence of gangs is because the Government has no incentive to help those involved. (Source: Breakfast)
“There’s very, very little incentive for agencies, for Government to do anything in this area because we’re so locked in this rhetoric of ‘they’re bad but we don’t understand why they’re bad, how it got to this stage,’” he said.
Ardern said while there is a police crackdown underway over “antisocial and illegal behaviour from gangs”, the Government is also looking at programs to “prevent our young people in particular joining gangs in the first place, from finding those situations where there are those levels of deprivation and community that they seek to find incomes and family support through gang membership”.
“We always need to make sure that we are focused on things that work and that we listen to experts.
“It’s in our nature that when we see a problem, we want to produce a solution and in government, solutions often look like law changes. Let’s make sure, though, that if we are going to look at those tools that they are meaningful and will make a difference because there’s lots of examples of where they haven’t.”
She reiterated her confidence in Police Minister Poto Williams, adding that the Government has seen a 15% increase in police staff, a 35% increase in the police budget and the doubling of the organised crime unit.
"The focus is where it needs to be but we need to retain an absolute focus on these issues.
"We're both clear that focus needs to be maintained."
SHARE ME