Hon Paul Goldsmith
Minister of Justice

New data shows an encouraging reduction in the number of victims of violent crime, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says.

“The latest New Zealand Crime and Victims Survey shows there were 14,000 fewer victims of crime nationwide over the 12 months to August 2024, than there were over the 12 months to June 2024.

“This was particularly apparent in Auckland and Wellington, where there was a 26 and 21 per cent decrease, respectively.

“These results are promising, but we expect the data to remain volatile in the coming months before a longer-term trend emerges. There’s still more work to do if we want to continue driving these numbers down and see 20,000 fewer victims of serious violent crime by 2029.

“It’s also important to remember this survey technically covers a 24-month period, so we will continue to see the results of Labour’s soft on crime approach filter through for some time.

“However, with Police now enforcing tough new gang laws and work to reform sentencing well underway, I’m confident we’ll continue to see positive results.”

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