Peter Dunne: War on woke

Symbolism over substance is a well-established political art. Sometimes symbolism is a substitute for decisive action, sometimes it is a way of signalling a future policy intent that for various reasons cannot yet be achieved. On other occasions, it is a simple diversionary tactic, designed to distract attention from policy failure elsewhere.

A recent good example of symbolism over substance is New Zealand First’s proposed Bill to ban the display of any flag or emblem other than the New Zealand flag on government buildings.

Kerre Woodham: What's caused the drop in ram raids?

Ram raids are down more than 80% for the month of April, compared to last year. Police have identified 12 ram raids in April 2024, compared to 64 in April 2023. Sixty-four! That wasn't even the highest. There was a peak in August 2022 when there were 86 ram raids. There was a total of 433 ram raids in 2022, 288 in 2023, and 67 in the first four months of this year.

To what can we attribute the drop in ram raids?

Point of Order: Buzz from the Beehive - 4/10/23

The PM and Kiri Allen were taking a harder line on youth crime in July, but today Kelvin Davis extends a soft approach

The hard cops had their go back in July, when the PM and his Justice Minister (before her fall from grace) announced the Government will introduce a new offence specifically targeting ram raids and changes to allow 12- and 13-year-olds to be charged in the Youth Court.

That was the third in a package of law and order policies specifically targeting youth offending unveiled in the same week.

Today, the soft cop is back on the law-and-order beat.

John MacDonald: When did ram raid bragging become free speech?

I know David Parker’s got a job to do. As Attorney-General, he’s got a job to do and part of that job is to run a fine-tooth comb through new laws to see if they stack up and won’t be more trouble than they’re worth.

What I mean by that, is making sure they don't have so many holes in them that anyone who wants to could get all legal on it and either get away with whatever the law is designed to stop, or haul the government off to the likes of the Supreme Court.

Point of Order: Buzz from the Beehive - 30/8/23

Multi-agency 111 response is among the latest govt initiatives which depend on Labour surviving the general election

Many burning questions (as the general election looms) are answered on the government’s official website today.

Let’s start by checking how ministers are spending (or misspending) our money.

Kevin: Proposed New Ram Raid Law Is Just Politics as Usual

A criminologist says the government is following the polls, not the evidence, in its new hard-line strategy for young ram raiders.

Smash and grabs are set to become a new criminal offence as the government moves to crack down on the rise in retail offending.

Which will include a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment: the same as burglary.

Cam Slater: Almost 400 Ram Raids in Six Months!

Police Minister Ginny Anderson will start gaslighting us this weekend that crime rates aren’t up, they just have better reporting now. But the stark reality for those of us living in cities is that violent crime is up massively. We’ve seen almost 400 ram raids in six months!

Garrick Tremain: Ram raid deterrent

 Here is Garrick Tremain's cartoon commentary on ram raid prevention! 

Kate Hawkesby: Until we turn around our attitude to crime, stats will continue to go the wrong way

I think what that new NZ Herald poll at the weekend on crime tells us is what we already knew, the Government's completely out of touch.

It will be this, among other things, that will see them lose the election come October. Despite telling us over and over again that crime is down and that we all feel safer, you can only lie and feed us so much BS before your cover gets blown.

And as it turns out, that turned up in the form of actual data over the weekend where a new survey polling New Zealanders showed in fact we feel less safe today than we did five years ago.

Kate Hawkesby: You can’t gaslight your way out of a problem by telling people it’s not happening

So another day, another shop closing for good because they’re fed up with being robbed.

That sees off West Auckland’s only Post Shop – seven ram raids and break ins have pushed them over the edge.

They’ve been in business 20 years. Now, they’re closing their doors for good.

Point of Order: Govt pours millions more into law-and-order initiatives aimed at helping victims....

...but ram-raiders are still scoring headlines

Law and order was the focus of two of the latest ministerial statements. Both entail government spending of millions of dollars to support the victims of crime or buttress businesses against becoming victims.

One statement – from Justice Minister Kiri Allan – deals with the rights of victims of sexual assault in the justice system and with beefing up government financial support for them.

Another – from Police Minister Ginny Andersen – promises more money for retailers to secure their shops against ram raiders.

Garrick Tremain: Ram raider

 Here is Garrick Tremain's cartoon commentary on trade vehicles! 

Garrick Tremain: Kids and ram raids

 Here is Garrick Tremain's cartoon commentary on responsible parenting! 

Kate Hawkesby: They commit crimes because they know they can get away with it

 

So today Cabinet meets looking to “discuss what more can be done to combat crime,” according to the Prime Minister.

Sadly she’s a bit late with that statement. The irony being that her government has been inundated with people asking them to toughen up on crime for ages... they did nothing. Poto Williams, in her capacity as Police Minster dropped the ball so badly she was moved on and replaced with Chris Hipkins. There were hopes he would toughen up on crime, but sadly under his watch it’s only gotten worse.

Heather du Plessis-Allan: The Sandringham stabbing reflects badly on the Government

 

Well, I suspect many of us would’ve had the same reaction when we saw the news alerts on our phones last night.

That a retailer had been stabbed to death in a store. And that was thinking, we knew this was going to happen. Because we did, didn’t we? 

With all those ram raids, daylight robberies, tobacco thefts, we could see this coming. 

I’m not going to lay blame on anyone for this other the person who did it. Because no one put the knife in their hand. They did it, it’s their fault.

But I’m talking about the politics of this.

Chris Trotter: Worse Crimes.

It really doesn't matter what the Police statisticians and the criminologists say about crime, all that matters is public perception. Crime statistics the world over may be declining. The young people of today may actually be more law-abiding than their parents and grandparents. But, when people see the consequences of a ram-raid; when they witness hooded figures helping themselves to other people’s property in broad daylight; well, then facts cease to matter. They’re alarmed. They’re angry. They want something done.
The problem, of course, is that those whose responsibility it is to do something, aren’t at all sure what can – or should – be done.

Karl du Fresne: "Wraparound support": the magical incantation that will stop teenage ram raids

Two of the most meaningless phrases in the English language are “award-winning” and “wraparound support”.

I expressed my views about awards here. Suffice to say that I’ve been involved in enough of them (though never as a recipient) to be highly sceptical. There are simply too many mediocre and even dodgy restaurants/homes/cars/wines/writers/whatever hiding behind those words “award-winning” for the term to have any cred.

Now, “wraparound support”. My antennae twitch whenever I hear the words.

Garrick Tremain: Ram raids

 Here is Garrick Tremain's cartoon commentary on liquor stores and ram raids! 

Cam Slater: 129 Ram Raids since May

Nothing tells voters that it is time to change the government like out-of-control crime and a Government intent on cuddles for crimes instead of jail. There have been 129 ram raids since May, almost all of them on the watch of new Police Minister, Chris Hipkins.

Mike Hosking: We need more than talk over the rampaging crime spree

I note the some of the media have reacquainted themselves with crime.

The Government to their credit managed to quieten the whole mess down for a while by disposing of Poto Williams who, although spectacularly useless, was really just a sacrificial lamb to get the heat off the Government over an issue they have been woefully found wanting on.

Chris Hipkins announced he would visit every police district in the country. We had the Police Association on telling us they liked Hipkins and he had read his briefing papers, so things were looking up.

Meantime the ram-raids, abuse, violence, and lawlessness rolled on given thugs aren't really interested in political appointments.