Talk to anyone living in New Zealand, and one issue that seems to concern them the most is the increasing crime. It would not be incorrect to say that , given the daily reports of gang crime, ram raids and robberies, rising crime in NZ is becoming a national concern. Criminals are stepping up their attacks on the public.
New Zealand, once known for its low crime rates, is no longer safe. Frustration is mounting among the business and wider community as the relentless ram raids and burglaries cost them “stock, staff, and sleep.”
Undoubtedly, tackling serious offending needs new solutions, innovation and, most importantly, consequences for offenders.
Indian Weekender spoke to business associations to know what they think is the need of the hour to tackle the menace of increasing crimes and what actions they propose.
Greg Harford, Chief Executive, Retail NZ
“Retail NZ is deeply concerned about the tidal wave of crime that is engulfing the retail community. We are encouraging our members to use the support and advice available through Retail NZ and the Police funding for small businesses that have been affected. Our key recommendations include reviewing security, making it harder for criminals to access premises, and reporting ALL suspicious and criminal behaviour to the Police. We have a range of resources available for business owners on our website at www.retail.kiwi/crime.
“Retail NZ is calling on the Government to make sure that there are real consequences for criminals and to roll out a social change campaign to encourage respect for people, private property, and the law.”
Steve Armitage, Interim Chief Executive, Heart of the City
“Heart of the City (Auckland's city centre business association) views issues around safety and increasing crime as a high priority, and we are concerned about the levels of distress that some of the business community are experiencing.
“We continue to advocate central Government and NZ Police for increased police presence and a more effective programme to support businesses with crime prevention. The Police have recently opened their central city hub to assist with better deployment. We are also investing in additional security in the short term to supplement ongoing safety programmes that we have in place in the city centre to address issues and improve the feeling of safety in the area."
Marisa Bidois, Chief Executive Officer, Restaurant Association of New Zealand
"The crime we are experiencing currently in our town centres is very concerning and creating further challenges for business owners at an already difficult time. We need our city centre mayors to work with councils on crime and safety policies and implement crime prevention initiatives.
“At the restaurant association, we spend time meeting with the relevant MPs and local councillors to make them fully aware of the situation and its impact on our industry. We now need local councils to face this challenge head-on and implement a plan to ensure we have safer city cities."
Sunny Kaushal, Chair, Dairy & Business Owners’ Group
“The time for talks is over. We recently met with Police Minister Chris Hipkins regarding the crime emergency in NZ. Our demands include a funding boost for the $6 million Crime Prevention Fund to $30 million; council staff to help police patrol businesses; more high-tech lighting and CCTV cameras; and more significant self-defence laws.
“We are asking to deploy the artificial intelligent cameras with the Auckland Council or other consuls’ partnership. We need Police and MSD aligned to deal with the federal families. These changes will allow business owners to run their businesses safely and ensure they can trade safely, not live every day in fear.”
Vish Bhati, Chairperson, New Lynn Business Association
“Immediate action needs to be taken from current governance. In the interim, most businesses can opt for private security to keep their lively hood protected.”
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