Rt Hon Winston Peters

New Zealand First Leader

Member of Parliament for Northland
14 NOVEMBER 2016

Calling for Govt to Act on Looting

New Zealand First is asking for the government to announce new laws with powerful sentencing for those who loot during periods of civil disaster.

“These individuals are preying on others during periods of extreme stress and tragedy,” says New Zealand First Leader and Northland MP Rt Hon Winston Peters.

“Police time is being wasted chasing looters when they should be free to concentrate on the emergency effort. Their valuable work is diverted by such selfish acts.

“That anyone would rob others at a time of such crisis is evil.

“No decent society should allow such cold-hearted individuals to get away with a slap on the wrist. They must be brought to justice and handed a sentence that will be a severe lesson to them and others.

“Parliament, when it resumes tomorrow, should condemn these acts, and agree to pass legislation that will deliver a sentence that will make anyone else, when tempted, think twice.

“It is time to act. Looting occurred at the time of the Christchurch earthquakes too and, to be fair, we parliamentarians should have done something about it.

“Let’s make a commitment to do something,” says Mr Peters.

ENDS

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