One rule for Parliament and anther for us?
20 June 2024
The Dairy and Business Owners Group supports extra powers for Parliamentary security guards, but only if all law-abiding Kiwis are given the same powers.
“If Parliament is worried about worsening crime and the risk to MPs then what about the rest of us?” asks Sunny Kaushal, Chair of the Dairy and Business Owners’ Group.
“In the last ten years, two dairy workers have been murdered at work. Let alone attempted murders and grievous assaults. Last year retailers suffered 6.5 assaults every day at work, 7-days a week.
“Safety should not be limited to protecting MPs and their staff. Safety needs to apply to everyone whether a farmer, tradie, those in service stations, or us behind a counter.
“Otherwise, it’s one rule for MPs and another for the rest of us.
“We also deal with people who have mental health issues, but don’t have Police on speed dial like MP panic alarms. Last year, retailers reported 12 retail thefts every hour of every day not counting robberies or burglaries.
“That’s why reform must be even-handed because the Crimes Act 1961 stops society from being self-policing and reform would take pressure off Police resources. That’s why law reform needs to:
Allow for citizens arrest, which crazily, is only permitted between 9pm and 6am (unless a crime is punishable by more than three-years, but who knows that level of detail);
Properly define reasonable force in defence of property. Right now it means you cannot “strike or do bodily harm” making any application of force, an assault;
Extend powers of citizens arrest to crimes under Summary Offences Act like common assault, vandalism, graffiti, acts endangering safety, intimidation and obstruction.
“We’re campaigning for reform of the Crimes Act to make it a real deterrence to criminals who know their rights backwards. This becomes a community-led response to the crime emergency.
“It would be wrong to give these powers to parliamentary security while leaving kiwis exposed to criminals,” Mr Kaushal said.