Hide calls for zero tolerance on crime

Tuesday 29 Mar 2005 Rodney Hide Press Releases -- Crime & Justice

ACT Leader Rodney Hide today said that New Zealand needed to adopt a zero tolerance policy to crime.

"The fact that there are nine complaints of rape, one dating back to Christmas, yet to be assigned an investigating police officer in the Police Minister's backyard of South Auckland alone is disgusting. Further, up to 1,500 criminal cases have still to be assigned an investigating officer in South Auckland.

"Earlier this month Mr Hawkins strongly denied the suggestion that police were under-funded stating "Police Commissioner Rob Robinson has been given the resources to do the job" and... "people can live without fear of being a victim of crime." George Hawkins doesn't even know what's happening in his own backyard let alone the country!

"The case of the South Auckland dairy owner illustrates why the Labour Government's soft-on-crime policy is failing us.

"Thugs can steal at will knowing that the police won't deal to it even where there are complaints. Many business owners that I have spoken to in revealing the dairy owner's story have confirmed to me that they have given up reporting crime. "What's the point" they say.

"The result is open lawlessness with the victims having no one to call.

"We know what works. Active policing with a zero tolerance to crime, no matter how small or trivial. We know that youths who get away with committing small crimes go on to commit bigger ones.

"The message they receive from Helen Clark and George Hawkins is loud and clear: Crime pays.

"The upcoming general election is really the only way for New Zealanders to reclaim their streets, places of works and homes. Labour's softly-softly crime approach is failing Kiwis badly," said Mr Hide.

Ends

For more information visit ACT online at http://www.act.org.nz or contact the ACT Parliamentary Office at act@parliament.govt.nz.

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