Unlocking New Zealand’s potential and locking up criminals

“While other political parties have spent this campaign living in a gangsta’s paradise, ACT has released a law and order policy package that promises tougher consequences, stronger protections, and practical tools to keep New Zealanders safe in their homes and businesses,” says ACT Deputy Leader Nicole McKee.

“ACT has spent the past term restoring consequences for criminal behaviour. We've brought back Three Strikes, scrapped the prisoner reduction target and ended taxpayer funding for culural reports. We’re campaigning to make the next government go further and faster.

“We’ll target repeat offending before more victims are created. ACT will introduce Three Strikes for Burglary, ensuring offenders convicted of a third burglary offence face at least three years in prison without parole. This builds on my work re-introducing Three Strikes for violent offenders.

“I've heard from countless exasperated business owners who are forced to watch criminals walk out the door with their stock, knowing there's little they can do to stop them. They feel like the criminals have more rights than they do to protect their livelihood.

“ACT would change that. Our policy would create a new class of Accredited Security Operators with the power to remove people threatening safety, require identification and detain people in certain circumstances until Police arrive, and issue exclusion notices lasting up to three years across multiple premises.

“The most isolated parts of rural New Zealand will benefit from an additional 100,000 Police patrol hours every year, establishment of a dedicated rural crime unit, and a crackdown on livestock theft and poaching with stronger penalties. We’ll also expand Text 111 coverage to areas where unreliable mobile service can make it difficult to contact emergency services.

“The introduction of a national Working with Children Card will keep children safer and give parents peace of mind when leaving their children in the care of other adults by ensuring vetting and safety checks are kept constantly up to date.

“On top of all that, ACT will protect victims by criminalising coercion through animal abuse in family violence situations, outlaw non-consensual deepfake pornography, end ‘good character’ sentence reductions for child sex offenders. Relocatable noise cameras will help tackle anti-social vehicle noise, while illegal dumping fines will increase to $1,000, or $2,000 for repeat offenders.

“Alongside these measures, ACT will continue reforms aimed at improving court timeliness so victims see justice delivered more quickly and offenders face consequences sooner.

“ACT has spent the last three years restoring consequences for crime. Our policy package will build on that work to make New Zealand a safer place to live, work, do business, and raise a family.”