Latest news with #ThreeStrikes
NZ Herald
3 days ago
- Business
- NZ Herald
Christopher Luxon won't discuss poor polls with caucus, Labour not saying anything about tax policy
Luxon said: 'We discuss our internal polling from time to time with our caucus, which is very normal practice, but I'm not focused or polls or talking about myself, I'm focused on New Zealanders and making sure we have the right long-term plan in place.' Luxon said. Luxon confirmed caucus was still receiving internal polls. 'New Zealanders understand we've gone through the biggest recession in the last 30 years. We've got a big Covid hangover as we've seen from the Treasury report last week, we've had some difficult challenging circumstances particularly since April with respect to the tariff situation. 'I think you're seeing across New Zealand - get out of Wellington, you go to the South Island, the primary industries, go to Hawke's Bay, you are seeing good recovery in those parts, but I acknowledge in places like Auckland and Wellington and urban environments it is still pretty tough,' Luxon said. He said things like the InvestmentBoost tax credit and the infrastructure pipeline would lead to a recovery. Chris Bishop said talk of a leadership change was silly. Photo / Mark Mitchell Talk of leadership change 'just silly' - Chris Bishop Senior Minister Chris Bishop said despite the grim polling there was 'no talk' of changing the leader. 'That's just silly. What we're doing as a Government - New Zealand's first three-way coalition government - is working hard to get the economy growing again after years of high inflation, high government spending and high debt,' Bishop said. He said he would 'not even entertain' the idea of a polling threshold at which point National would need to roll its leader. Bishop was one of the National MPs at the heart of a bid to replace then-leader Simon Bridges with Todd Muller in 2020. Like Luxon, Bishop said that the economy had struggled to lift off since US President Donald Trump's announcement of tariffs on Liberation Day in April. Treasury had been forecasting a decent economic recovery before April, but since then, it revised its growth forecasts downwards. The economy is still set to grow, but not as fast. Live GDP estimates from the Reserve Bank suggest the next GDP print will show a quarter of contraction. The threat of tariffs had caused businesses to hold back investment. Bishop said the Government would not make 'reactionary one-off decisions' to pump the polls. 'What we need to do is stick to the course of a long-term economic plan that would set New Zealand up for growth,' he said. He suggested that some of the polling slump was because Labour had no real policy, beyond a promise to repeal things like Three Strikes, the reinstatement of oil and gas exploration, and the future Regulatory Standards Bill. 'It's all easy for Chris Hipkins and the Labour Party to sit off to the side and say life should be better, [but] in their own words, they do not have any policy. 'Life's easy in opposition when you have the luxury of not having any policy... they do not have any policy and they are not planning to release any any time soon,' Bishop said, referring to an admission from Labour finance spokeswoman Barbara Edmonds that the party did not have any substantive cost of living policy. Labour leader Chris Hipkins on his way into his weekly caucus meeting. Photo / Mark Mitchell Hipkins keeps mum on tax policy Labour leader Chris Hipkins was happy with the polls, saying Labour's numbers had 'grown significantly since the last election. 'We were at 26% at the last election, we're now polling comfortably across the polls in the mid-30s,' Hipkins said. Asked about Labour's lack of policy, Hipkins said, 'they [National] would definitely like more things to attack us on - that's true'. Hipkins said policy would be announced before the election, but he wanted to make sure he could deliver on it. A column by Vernon Small, a former staffer for Labour Revenue Minister David Parker, in the Sunday Star-Times reported Labour's policy council had resolved to support a Capital Gains Tax as the preferred policy for the next election, beating out the other favoured tax, a wealth tax. It now rests with Labour's governing council and the Parliamentary side of the party to decide what to do with the decision as the party puts its 2026 election policy together. Hipkins has committed to campaigning on progressive tax reform, but said the tax policy was 'not yet resolved'. He said he 'would not discuss the internal machinations of the Labour Party', but said a 'consensus is emerging'. He said a wealth tax and a capital gains tax were 'on the table', but would not commit to Labour's traditional policy of excluding taxing any capital gains accrued on the family home. 'When we have a tax policy to announce we will announce it,' Hipkins said. When asked again he said, 'I'm not getting into that because we haven't announced a tax policy'. Eventually, Hipkins said, 'I've always said taxing the family home shouldn't be taxed, but I'm not announcing a policy that we haven't announced'. Hipkins has been reluctant to shape his party's tax discussions by ruling various things in or out. Labour's 2017 commitment to kick its tax policy to a tax working group was guided by the fact that any capital gains tax would exclude the family home. In an earlier press conference, Hipkins would not rule out the Greens' inheritance tax proposal, although he conceded it would be very unlikely Labour would agree to it. Hipkins got into trouble with his party in 2023 and 2024 for his 'captain's call' to kill the wealth tax proposal, a call some members believed was against party rules - although Hipkins and the party leadership dispute this. Hipkins denied his reluctance to personally shape the tax discussion this time around is because he is being extra scrupulous in light of his previous troubles over captain's calls. 'No,' he said, when asked. 'We'll announce a tax policy when we're ready to announce it, not because you keep asking questions about it,' Hipkins said. Minister of Defence Judith Collins said this is the best Cabinet she has served in. Photo / Sylvie Whinray (file) The most enjoyable Cabinet - Judith Collins Former National leader Judith Collins said she 'didn't even see' the polls. 'I'm just too busy doing my job,' she said. Collins said this was 'a really good coalition Government, I love being part of it'. 'I've been in a few Cabinets, let me tell you, and this is the most enjoyable for me,' she said. 'I find the Prime Minister's leadership excellent, he just lets me get on and do the job,' she said. Collins said Luxon was 'absolutely' the right person to lead the Government.
NZ Herald
04-07-2025
- Politics
- NZ Herald
PM Christopher Luxon to speak after slew of law and order announcements
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is set to speak in Auckland following his Government's barrage of law and order announcements. Luxon is expected to front media about 12.45pm following an engagement with St John. A livestream can be found at the top of the article. One of the first law and order announcements of the week was proposing longer prison sentences for people who assault first responders, such as paramedics, firefighters and prison officers. The changes would create a new offence for assaulting an on-duty first responder or prison officer. The maximum sentences for assaulting with intent to injure, or injuring with intent to injure, would be increased by two years. Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith described violence against first responders and prison officers as 'heinous'. 'Where others may flee, first responders and prison officers run towards danger to help those who need urgent assistance,' Goldsmith said. 'Assaulting them puts multiple lives at risk, so there must be greater consequences for these heinous acts of violence. Our hardworking police officers, firefighters, paramedics and prison officers deserve better.' The proposed changes include: Assaulting a first responder or prison officer to have a maximum sentence of three years' imprisonment. This expands an existing provision on assaulting police to cover all first responders and prison officers. Assaulting a first responder or prison officer with intent to injure will have a maximum sentence of five years' imprisonment. This is a two-year increase in penalty from the standard offence. Injuring a first responder or prison officer with intent to injure will have a maximum sentence of seven years' imprisonment and will be added to Three Strikes. This is also a two-year increase in penalty from the standard offence. Goldsmith, along with other ministers from NZ First and Act, announced several more measures aimed at increasing punishments for those committing offences, particularly retail crime. They included specific coward punch offences, strengthening trespass laws and introducing a new fines regime for shoplifters.
Scoop
02-07-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Tamatha Paul Gives Shoplifting The Green Light
Green MP Tamatha Paul is giving shoplifting the green light as she opposes the Government's plan to strengthen penalties, National Party Spokesperson for Justice Paul Goldsmith says. 'The Greens are singing from the same old song sheet, making excuses for anyone who attacks or steals from hard working New Zealanders.' Yesterday Ms Paul said, 'if people don't have enough money to buy food, then they're going to look towards shoplifting things.' 'That seems to be okay with her and the Green Party. Does Labour agree?' Mr Goldsmith says. 'Kiwis need to remember that Labour and the Greens joined forces to vote against tougher sentences for violent criminals, reinstating Three Strikes, banning gang patches and giving Police the power to conduct warrantless searches on gang members. We can only assume this week will be the status quo. 'This Government is making significant progress on restoring law and order. Violent crime is down and Kiwis can feel safer in their homes and communities. A Labour-Greens government would put all of that at risk.'
Scoop
30-06-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Surge In Forecast Prison Numbers Shows Govt Serious About Law And Order
'The projected surge in the prison population over the next decade proves we are serious about keeping the worst offenders off the streets,' says ACT Leader David Seymour. 'The Ministry of Justice's latest 10-year forecast says the number of sentenced criminals in prison will rise one-third by 2035. Almost 2,000 more hardened criminals will be held behind bars instead of inflicting crime on the community. 'Normally, ACT rails against taxes. We make an exception because locking up crims is the best taxpayer money we'll ever spend. Prisons only sound expensive until you imagine crims out on the streets, robbing, raping, and murdering. 'The second best money we'll spend is making them read, write, and get a trade before letting them out. Offenders need to be straightened out permanently, and parole should depend more on rehabilitation. 'The Ministry of Justice says imprisonment will rise because of the Government's policies. The Government's Sentencing (Reform) Amendment Act 2025, will shift some offenders from community-based sentences to prison sentences. ACT's Three Strikes law which will mean longer sentences for criminals with eligible previous offences. Those are the changes that even the public service admits will put more crims behind bars. 'The Government is sending a clear message. The days of cuddling crims, and Labour's goal of fewer prisoners in jail, are long gone. If you break the law, expect to be locked away for a long time.'
Otago Daily Times
30-06-2025
- Politics
- Otago Daily Times
Govt announces harsher penalties for one-punch attacks
The government will legislate to ensure coward punches are treated as a specific offence. Coward punches, also known as king hits, are when strikes are delivered to a victim's head or neck, without warning and when the victim is unable to defend themselves. Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith said specific offences would reflect the gravity of the crime. "We know how dangerous they are. People can be killed or suffer lifelong brain injuries, yet perpetrators often receive lenient and insufficient sentences," he said. The charges and penalties - An assault offence for one punch attacks which cause grievous bodily harm with associated maximum penalties of - eight years imprisonment when the offender intended to cause injury or acted with reckless disregard for safety. Fifteen years imprisonment when the offender intended to cause grievous bodily harm. - A culpable homicide offence for a one punch attack which results in death with a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. - Both offences would be added to the Three Strikes legislation. - The legislation fulfils part of National's coalition agreement with New Zealand First. New Zealand First leader Winston Peters said the legislation made it clear the behaviour would no longer be tolerated. "The victim has no notice, and because of that the chance of them defending themselves is just impossible. So, we want to spell out how unacceptable it is that you behave in that way." There were renewed calls to specifically criminalise coward punches in 2021, following the death of Fau Vake in Auckland. In that instance, Daniel Havili pleaded guilty to manslaughter, and was sentenced to two years and nine months in jail. Goldsmith was reluctant to single out any specific examples of sentences he felt were too lenient, and said the government did not want to be seen to criticise the judiciary over the particulars. National already had a member's bill drawn from the ballot, in the name of MP Paulo Garcia that would criminalise coward punches, and amend the definition of murder. Goldsmith said the government would take over Garcia's bill. A previous National member's bill to create a specific coward punch offence was voted down at its first reading in 2020. The government's announcement follows a separate piece of legislation announced over the weekend, to introduce higher penalties for people who assault first responders. The cowards punch legislation would be included in an amendment bill along with the first responder assault penalties, and changes to citizens' arrest laws. Goldsmith hoped it would be introduced by the end of the year and passed into law before the election.
