The violent robbery that we saw at Mr Gurdeep Singh’s business in Papatoetoe was shocking and completely unacceptable.
When I was elected for the first time in 2014 to represent the electorate of Manukau East (now Panmure-Ōtahuhu), I met Mr Gurdeep Singh as I made my way around Papatoetoe. And he kindly took me around to meet our local business owners.
Mr Singh is a hard-working and dedicated family man, and he is also one of our local community leaders that a lot of people look up to and respect. His story is a common one among our many ethnic retailers.
It is truly awful that right in the heart of our community on Kolmar Road, Papatoetoe - Mr Singh and his family, the owners of Pooja Jewellers, were subject to a violent act.
I commend Gurdeep’s son’s bravery in protecting his family, but he and his family should never have been put in such a horrific situation to begin with.
I really feel and empathise with all our families and communities who have been left feeling unsafe and insecure after these aggravated robberies.
It’s an ongoing problem that we worked closely with our affected communities in Government to address. Be it programmes to break the cycle of youth offending or several measures to prevent ram raids and robberies.
Having listened to and spoken with many from our ethnic communities who bear the brunt of these crimes – I know how desperate they are for change and a solution to retail crimes.
We’re under no illusions and we know that issues of crime are complex and they are not easy to solve. There’s definitely still a lot more work to be done.
We will continue to engage with affected businesses, Police and community organisations to get to the heart of this problem.
Mr. Singh’s ordeal is reflective of the broader issues that small business owners in our city are grappling with.
Our hardworking retailers, who contribute significantly to our economy, our communities and society, deserve to feel safe and secure in their workplaces.
I firmly believe that we need comprehensive solutions that address these crimes against small businesses and our families, and we need them urgently.
Rajesh Goel, president of the Auckland Indian Retailers Association, in a letter to Police said crime was “a matter of serious concern and worry that our community is feeling a sense of insecurity and fear while doing our businesses in New Zealand”.
This follows a peaceful protest in Papatoetoe from local Indian business owners for Government action on crime.
As the local MP for Panmure-Otahuhū, I strongly support our local business owners and advocate for the safety of all our communities.
The impact of such crimes extends beyond the immediate financial loss. It affects the mental and emotional well-being of the victims, erodes community confidence, and disrupts the social fabric of our society
Work was underway and ongoing when we were in Government. This new Government now must continue this work and strike at the root of the issue when it comes to breaking the cycle of offending.
We must invest in preventative measures that stop these crimes before they happen.
Our law enforcement needs adequate resources to respond effectively to these crimes. Likewise, our justice system must be equipped to deliver timely and fair outcomes for victims and holds perpetrators to account.
Small business owners like Gurdeep’s should not have to live in fear of their livelihoods being threatened by criminal acts.
There is no simple answer, but I am committed to helping find a solution, and will do so alongside our communities.
(Hon Jenny Salesa, Local MP for Panmure-Otahuhū and Labour spokesperson for Ethnic Communities)
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