Opinion - The government has announced the establishment of a $1.8 million fund to help pay for extra security at places like dairies following a string of aggravated robberies.
Cartoon: Toby Morris
Dairy and liquor store owners have been pushing for greater assistance in the face of ongoing, violent hold-ups - partly attributed to the hike in cigarette prices.
Yesterday, Police Minister Paula Bennett announced the establishment of the $1.8m fund saying up to 600 high-risk businesses would be able to apply to police for up to half of the cost of increasing security at their premises.
"Businesses assessed as being high risk will be invited to apply for co-funding for things like panic and high volume interior alarms, DNA spray, fog cannons and time safes for cash and storage of cigarettes," Ms Bennett said.