Viewpoint – Tackling youth offending

As I travel around my large electorate known as Kaipara ki Mahurangi, I’m regularly made aware of a rise in youth offending. As we’ve all seen on the news, this is an issue that’s seriously affecting local businesses right across New Zealand.

I feel particularly sorry for retailers and others providing a service to the community who – after weathering difficulties in the last couple of years due to Covid-19 lockdowns – now face more uncertainty in the form of this physical threat to their safety, as well as livelihoods. The government recently announced a fog cannon subsidy scheme to help businesses combat crime. Any measure that might make a positive difference is to be welcomed, albeit that many in the sector believe that this particular one is “too little, too late”.

As a nation we’re getting dangerously close to accepting that violent crime is the “new normal” and simply asking our local shops to defend themselves with fog cannons and roller doors as a result. Of course, the better measures would be those at the top of the proverbial cliff: tackle youth offending and the causes of social dislocation. The young lives will be more fulfilling as a result and then we could all feel much safer.

My own political party recently put forward a plan to combat youth offending. Not everyone will agree with every detail of National’s plan and indeed the usual talking heads were quick to condemn it, which probably shows we’re on the right track. The essence of our plan is that offenders face consequences for their actions. In particular, it’s important to target serious repeat offenders, so we’ll be working hard to turn around offenders aged 10 to 17 who have committed a serious offence at least twice. Young Offender Military Academies for offenders aged 15 to 17 for up to a 12-month period will be another important element, along with more support provided to police in their efforts to tackle gangs.
On a lighter note, I have been out and about at various Christmas gatherings, at Kumeu Showgrounds and Warkworth Town Centre. It was wonderful to see such festive spirit after such a long hiatus, again due to Covid restrictions. I loved seeing so many familiar faces and I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year.