The government is introducing sweeping changes to tackle retail crime – but not everyone agrees it’s the right approach, writes Catherine McGregor in today’s extract from The Bulletin.
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Stronger trespass powers on the way
Retailers have long argued that existing trespass laws are toothless, allowing repeat offenders to flout bans with little consequence. Now, the government says it’s time to change that. Under a proposed overhaul of the Trespass Act, businesses will soon be able to ban offenders from not just one store but every branch of a chain – a move supermarket giants like Woolworths NZ have long championed, saying current laws are “not fit for purpose.”
The maximum trespass period will increase from two years to three, and fines for refusing to leave or lying about one’s identity will double. Justice minister Paul Goldsmith says the changes aim to curb the rising tide of violence and theft that many retailers argue threatens workers daily. Sunny Kaushal, chair of the Ministerial Advisory Group which drove the law change, said the current act was “a joke” and the changes would bring New Zealand more in line with other countries like Australia and Canada, RNZ reports.
Shoplifting fines and new offences
The trespass reforms are only part of the government’s latest tough-on-crime push. Earlier this week, Goldsmith announced new measures targeting shoplifting, including on-the-spot fines of up to $1000 and a new offence of aggravated theft for offenders who use threatening or violent behaviour. The changes aim to end what Goldsmith calls “apparent impunity” for low-level theft, Katie Ham reports in The Post (paywalled). The new infringement scheme will allow police to issue instant fines on the spot, much like speeding tickets, while the maximum punishment for theft will rise to one year in prison for goods worth $2000 or less, or seven years for more serious cases. A new aggravating theft offence will also be created for high-value theft carried out in an “offensive, threatening, insulting, or disorderly” manner.
Greens push back
Not everyone is applauding the crackdown. Green Party MP Tamatha Paul has called the shoplifting measures “criminalising poor people”, arguing that penalising those who steal out of desperation won’t solve deeper issues of poverty and food insecurity. Paul, who has attracted attention for previous comments on crime – including claiming a woman was jailed for stealing $12 worth of items, which she later admitted to the Herald’s Jamie Ensor she couldn’t verify – says the government’s approach ignores the underlying drivers of petty crime. As Stuff’s Bridie Witton notes, “her comments come as food banks report struggling to meet demand – even before the peak winter surge – and continue to call for increased and guaranteed government funding”.
Her criticism of the shoplifting law triggered a sharp response from National. Goldsmith accused Paul of “giving shoplifting the green light,” and noted that Labour and the Greens had opposed other recent law-and-order changes like reinstating Three Strikes and banning gang patches. “We can only assume this week will be more of the same.”
Part of a broader law-and-order push
The retail crime measures come as the government rolls out a flurry of law-and-order announcements. This week alone, ministers confirmed plans for new penalties targeting “coward punches” and stronger sentences for those who assault first responders. At the same time, the Ministry of Justice quietly released analysis of February’s controversial citizen’s arrest law, another measure championed by Kaushal’s advisory group. As RNZ’s Russell Palmer reports, the analysis suggests allowing members of the public to arrest or detain thieves stealing from retail stores will do little for public safety. In fact, the analysis found, it could increase risks of force being used inappropriately, particularly against youth and Māori.
Undeterred, the government is hoping to send a message: shoplifters, trespassers and repeat offenders won’t get a free pass anymore. Whether it makes a dent in offending, or simply criminalises the most vulnerable, is something both sides of the debate will be watching closely.
More from The Spinoff:
- Andrew Geddis & Henry Benson-Pope: The many, many problems with the plan to expand citizen’s arrest powers
