National would ban gang patches, give police new powers

The National Party is proposing four steps to give police new powers to tackle the gang problem.

At National's regional conference in Auckland today, party leader Christopher Luxon said gangs were recruiting more quickly than police, adding 2000 new members during the five years Labour had been in power, compared to 1300 new police officers.

In five years there had been an 11 percent increase in homicides, a 21 percent increase in violent crime and a 31 percent increase in assaults, he said.

If National won the next election, they would give police powers to stop gang members gathering and wearing gang insignia in public, and to block their access to guns.

The moves are similar to Australian laws cracking down on gangs there.

"It's unsurprising that as gang membership has exploded, there's been an escalation in crime, including public intimidation and shootings," he said.

"New Zealanders are waking up daily to news of gang shootings and the only question is not if or when there'll be another, but whose street it will be in next time."

Four moves against gang crime

Already patches are not allowed in hospitals, government buildings and courts, but National would ban them from all public places, Luxon said.

"Patches are about intimidation, and are given only to people who have committed a violent crime to show loyalty to a gang."

And, National would give police the power to issue:

• Firearms Prohibition Orders - making it illegal for a gang member with a conviction for a serious offence from the last ten years to access firearms or enter a property where firearms are; Police would have the power to search their property or vehicles for firearms at any time.
• Dispersal notices - to order a gang member or prospect to leave a public area, and not to meet together in public for seven days.
• Consorting Prohibition notices - to order a "known gang offender" not to associate or communicate with other gang members for up to three years.

Luxon said to address the "complex" and long-term problems behind crime the party would "bring back the social investment approach" that would steer young people away from a pathway leading to crime and gangs, and direct them toward a more productive life.

Minister for police Poto Williams has said she was continuing to work with police and other agencies on how to address a spike in gang violence, and would consider introducing similar measures to Australia's rules, but only if they suited the New Zealand context.

The planned firearms register would help, she said.

Stricter firearms licensing was introduced in February.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the government's work on crime goes back beyond the recent spike, and it was looking into possible changes to rules for seizing gang assets, to adapt to the way organised crime was changing.