Dear John,

 

National’s focus on cracking down on criminals and restoring law and order is working. Justice reform is delivering results – with tougher tools for police and courts, the return of a revised three strikes law and tougher sentences for violent criminals. We’re seeing real results – violent crime is falling, and our communities are safer.

• A 13% drop in serious and persistent youth offending – putting us close to our 2029 target of 15% – four years ahead of schedule.
• 28,000 fewer victims of violent crime than when we took office – including significant drops in Auckland and Canterbury. This is well ahead of our target of 20,000 fewer victims of serious violent crime by 2029. 

We’ve taken strong action, including:

• Banning gang patches in public places.
• Giving police more powers to go after gangs and disrupt organised crime.
• Tougher sentences and restoring real consequences for serious offending.
• Return back to the three strikes regime to target serious repeat offenders.

This progress reflects bold initiatives, better collaboration across agencies, and a clear focus on victims. Budget 2025 backs this momentum with targeted investment to strengthening frontline services and keep up the pressure on crime.

We know there’s more to do – but this is a strong start. We’re backing our frontline, putting victims first, and making communities safer across New Zealand.

Kind regards,
 
Hon Paul Goldsmith
National Party spokesperson for Justice