Gang crackdown: Government to introduce legislation to ban gang insignia in public places and gathering in groups

The Government will introduce legislation to ban all gang insignia in public places, and create greater powers to stop criminal gangs from gathering in groups and communicating, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith and Police Minister Mark Mitchell said today.

Speaking at the Auckland Central Police Station, Goldsmith said under the new law to crack down on gangs, police will be able to issue dispersal notices, which will require gang members to immediately leave the area and not associate with one another for seven days.

Courts will be able to issue non-consorting orders, which will stop specified gang offenders from associating or communicating with one another for up to three years.

“The law will also be changed to give greater weight to gang membership as an aggravating factor at sentencing, enabling courts to impose more severe punishments,” Goldsmith said.

Wearing a gang patch could come with a fine of up to $5000 or up to six months in prison.

Under the legislation, wearing a gang patch in public would come with a penalty of a fine of up to $5000 or up to six months in prison.

Goldsmith said over the last five years gangs have recruited more than 3000 members, a 51 per cent increase. At the same time, there had been a significant escalation in gang-related violence, public intimidation and shootings, with violent crime up 33 per cent.

“We need to take action and reduce gangs’ ability to engage in criminal behaviour and prevent them from further endangering and intimidating Kiwis.

“That is why, as part of National and Act’s coalition agreement, the Government will introduce legislation to ban all gang insignia in public places, and create greater powers to stop criminal gangs from gathering in groups and communicating.”

Police Minister Mark Mitchell said New Zealanders deserve to feel safe in their homes, communities and public places.

“For too long gangs have been allowed to behave as if they are above the law. There is no tolerance for this behaviour and these new laws will support Police to take action against it,” Mitchell said.

Mitchell said the ban on gang patches would apply to funerals/tangi and although funeral services were always emotional events, that doesn’t give gang members the right to disrupt and take over public places.

The legislation will be introduced to Parliament over the next two weeks, go through the normal public consultation process and expected to be passed into law by the end of the year.

Mitchell said Police Commissioner Andrew Coster is 100 per cent on board with the legislation and highly motivated to get out there with it.