Nicole McKee: Speech to ACT Rally 2025

Speech to ACT Rally 2025, Sunday 13 July, 2025

Good afternoon, everyone.

What a busy, exciting, and fulfilling first half of my term as a minister of the Crown - a minister acting for YOU -  thank you for your unwavering support.

I want to start with crime - because protecting people’s safety and property is the state’s first duty. If we can’t do that – if thugs and thieves can destroy your life’s work - in an instant – then nothing else matters.

Labour tried being kind to criminals in the hope they’d be kind in return. New Zealanders paid the price. At one point there was a ram raid every 15 hours. Shopkeepers had to lock themselves behind bars to stay safe. Violent offenders were put on home detention - only to reoffend.

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know what happens when you set a target to cut the prison population - without bothering to reduce crime.

We’ve restored real consequences for criminals - and put the rights of victims first. Three Strikes is back. Section 27 cultural reports are defunded. We’ve introduced tougher sentences for a range of offences and ended the excessive sentence discounts for those who feign remorse only to reoffend.

We’ve put the rights of victims at the centre of sentencing - and are expanding prison capacity so no one who should be in prison walks free - because there isn’t enough room. I’ve also secured investment to speed up the courts - so victims see justice delivered faster, and the results are already showing.  Between February 2024 and April 2025, active court cases in backlog decreased by 11%. In the Auckland metro, where our initiatives have been most focused, that backlog has decreased by 26%. 

Normally - ACT rails against spending - but here we make no apology. Locking criminals up is the best money we’ll ever spend. No one can assault you or steal your property when they’re behind bars.

And, as the minister responsible for the Proceeds of Crime Fund - I’ve taken the money Labour was giving gangs who profited from meth - using it instead to fight meth itself.

As Associate Minister of Justice, I also have responsibility for Firearms reforms, Anti Money Laundering and the Countering of the Financing of Terrorism, the Sale and Supply of Alcohol, Sex workers, Security Guards, Proceeds of Crime Fund, Justices of the Peace, Real Estate Agents Authority, and more.

You could say my job is to deal with guns, booze, sex, and dirty money.

What it’s really about is cutting mindless paperwork and compliance so businesses and customers can get on with life.

The changes I’m making will make it much easier to open a bank account for your child or - sell property held in a trust - without having to provide a mountain of personal and legal information - just to prove who you are.

It will help a small business which employs a bookkeeper to do the accounts every month. Instead of forcing the bookkeeper to treat their client like a criminal, collecting ID from their whole family, documenting company ownership, and monitoring monthly transactions like a bank. I’m implementing a risk-based approach with simplified checks, saving time, cost, and hassle.

It means less time and money wasted on things that don’t matter - so you can focus on what does.  For the Government - it means directing our focus to organised criminals and serious financial crimes - while leaving you to get on with your life.

I’ve taken exactly the same approach to firearms reform.  Labour’s rushed laws didn’t make New Zealand safer – they alienated responsible people who follow the rules and take safety seriously - while gangs continued to wreak havoc.

We’ve delivered relief for clubs and ranges - so people can learn safely in supervised environments. At the same time, we’ve strengthened police powers - to keep firearms out of the hands of real criminals.

With my ACT colleagues - I stood up to our coalition partners over the firearms registry – a system that risks becoming a "steal-to-order" list for gangs. We’re now rewriting the Arms Act to deliver a practical, workable law - that keeps New Zealanders safe - while respecting those who use firearms for hunting, pest control, sport, or to feed their families.

It’s a big work programme – and this speech barely scratches the surface.

But if there’s one thing that sums it up, it’s this:

Labour spent six years freeing criminals and punishing success.

We’re flipping the script. We’re freeing you to succeed – and making sure the criminals get punished.

Thank you.