A convoy of gang members is pictured in Bethlehem in 2016. Photo / Andrew Warner
A convoy of gang members is pictured in Bethlehem in 2016. Photo / Andrew Warner
National's candidate in the Tauranga byelection wants to give the city's police greater powers to crack down on "obnoxious" gang convoys.
Sam Uffindell told the Bay of Plenty Times that, if elected, he would introduce a Member's Bill to Parliament to ban gang convoys on Tauranga roads. The Bill wouldalso increase penalties for cruising.
Gangs could face $500 fines and instant impounding of their vehicles.
"People in Tauranga are sick of our roads being taken over by obnoxious gang members trying to intimidate members of the public," Uffindell said.
"National will establish an anti-cruising law in Tauranga to give police the power to issue on-the-spot fines to gang members acting like they own the road and impound gang vehicles if required."
The Bill would criminalise gangs and the harm and intimidation they cause would be specifically targeted, while law-abiding citizens would be protected, Uffindell said.
Police data shows gang membership in the Bay of Plenty has increased by 37 per cent since October 2017.
National candidate Sam Uffindell. Photo / Andrew Warner
Uffindell said this equated to more than Auckland's three police districts combined. The Police National Gang List, as of April 29, showed there were 1411 gang members in Auckland and 1454 in the Bay of Plenty.
"Our region suffers from the biggest gang membership in New Zealand. It's time we took back control," he said.
The Bill would empower police to issue $500 on-the-spot fines and instantly impound vehicles for 28 days without warning if needed.
Uffindell said the Bill would only be used in Tauranga because "the problem is particularly acute in Tauranga and if I'm elected to be MP ... my priority will be keeping people safe here".
Regular car and motorcycle clubs would not be affected, he said.
"Gang convoys are at their worst in summer when gangs swarm Mount Maunganui, block roads and intimidate families at the beach by revving their motorbikes."
Uffindell said a lot of the convoys were filmed by gangs and used on social media, particularly Tik Tok, which he believed could be contributing to some of the youth crime in Tauranga in recent weeks, he said.
In 2014, Christchurch City Council created a Prohibited Times on Roads Bylaw - also known as the anti-cruising bylaw - which banned cruising on specific roads between 10pm and 5am seven days a week. Any breach of this could result in $1000 fines if taken through the courts, or a $150 on-the-spot infringement notice.
Uffindell is expected to discuss gangs further in a public meeting with National spokesman for police Mark Mitchell tonight.
