The government says its tough on crime approach has driven a significant drop in the number of victims of violent crime.
It comes as the latest New Zealand Crime and Victims Survey reported 49,000 fewer victims of violent crime in the year to October 2025 than two years previously.
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith put this down to the coalition's approach to law and order and the near doubling of police foot patrols.
"Since day one, we've been working tirelessly to restore real consequences for crime, and to place victims back at the centre of the justice system," he said.
"We have reformed the sentencing regime so those who cause the most harm are imprisoned for longer, given Police effective tools to deal with gangs, stopped taxpayer funding for the proliferation of cultural reports, made stalking an illegal and jailable offence, given victims of sexual assault the power to determine if offenders are granted name suppression, restored Three Strikes, and much more."
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said he was encouraged the government's approach was working, but he was "relentless" about the fact there was more work to do.
"Any victim of a serious violent crime is unacceptable," he said.
The "big picture" was that the government had learnt in the past 24 months what was working, he said, referencing a retailer who had said they'd had a significant drop in retail crime events.
"That is just a function of the police being highly visible.
"We have doubled the police presence across the country."
Questioned about data to back up the decrease was due to government policy, Luxon again referenced the police beat teams, gang disruption units, laws passed around stalking and a tougher sentencing environment.
"So we know that our actions and our plans are working. Let's be clear, the counterfactual was that it wasn't working."
Goldsmith said the conclusion he'd drawn was the overall policy mix and signals sent by the government meant they were heading in the right direction when it came to a reduction in crime.
Asked whether the government was cherry picking statistics, Goldsmith said the CVS was the best to give an overall picture.
On gangs, he said the data showed they had been responsible for 20-25 percent of all serious violent crime, "all of that stuff going down through the gang activity - us having a different stance with them is really important."
He acknowledged there were more prisons under this government, and he wanted to see less, "but we only want to see less if there's less crime."
Luxon then took a swing at the opposition parties, "soft on crime like we've seen under Labour in the past is not the way forward."
When it was put to Luxon gang numbers were up, he responded the government's commitment was lowering crime.
"When you see violent serious crime coming down, and that is because we are tougher on gang members for sure. The effectiveness of gang members in prosecuting crime has been diminished by virtue of our actions."
Police Minister Mark Mitchell and Prime Minister Christopher Luxon speak on the latest crime statistics. Photo: RNZ / Kim Baker Wilson
Police Minister Mark Mitchell said higher police visibility in communities was helping deter crime and keep criminals off the streets.
"Our investment into the frontline has seen 12 new and expanded beat teams stood up nationwide, including the launch of a beat team in Hamilton this week.
"Our beat officers do an outstanding job at keeping the public, businesses and retailers safe. We know there is a lot more to do but these results show we are heading in the right direction."
Goldsmith said while the government was tracking ahead on its violent crime reduction target it still had more work to do.
"This is going to be another busy year. We just announced plans to provide police with the power to issue move-on orders to deal with disorderly behaviour.
"Our Crimes Amendment Bill is making its way through the house, and legislation to strengthen trespass laws will soon be introduced."
Children's Minister Karen Chhour said Oranga Tamariki figures showed there had been a 22 per cent drop in serious repeat youth offending compared with when the Government came into office.
"This is well ahead of our target of a 15 per cent drop before 2030," she said.
"We promised to fix what matters to New Zealanders. Ram raids are down 85 per cent. Kiwis are no longer being expected to live in fear that their cars have been stolen and used by young offenders in a ram raid of our local small businesses.
"Young offenders are avoiding re-offending because they know Courts, Oranga Tamariki and Police are working together more closely. They know now that their actions will have consequences."
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