KEY POINTS:
Police Minister Annette King is to visit Manukau after a spate of crimes in the city - but she has ruled out tough measures such as lowering the age of criminal responsibility or sending young people to jail for any but the most serious crimes.
Ms King said
she would meet Mayor Len Brown, the Indian community and police to ask what more the Government could do to help make the city safer.
Her visit follows a crime-fraught January during which 10 homicides were committed nationwide, including the fatal stabbing of Krishna Naidu at his parents' dairy in Clendon and the fatal stabbing of a 15-year-old in Manurewa.
Ms King said youth offending in Manukau was one of the first problems she faced when she became Police Minister in 2005.
"It is a very hard community. It's probably the toughest in New Zealand. It's a mix of communities and a large number of people on low incomes."
However, she said, it was unfair to put all the blame on the Government and the community had to provide some of its own answers.
"The simple answer is to say, 'Oh, it's the Government's fault'. But the Government isn't in everybody's home, even if some say we are, telling them how to raise their children, how to take responsibility within the family, how to reduce family violence."
National Party law and order spokesman Simon Power said the most shocking thing about the spate of crimes was the youth of those involved and the random nature of the attacks, such as the murder of Karen Aim in Taupo and the bashing of two couples on the streets of North Shore City.
"That is a deep concern - the randomness of crimes and the innocent bystander ending up as a victim seem increasingly to be becoming the norm. We've heard the Government talk for eight years about how they are going to reduce violent crime and the fact is they're not, and they haven't."
Mr Power would not reveal what the National Party's policy to tackle youth crime was - saying it was among new policy statements leader John Key would make at a future date.
However, Ms King defended the Government's approach, saying it was putting a high emphasis and significant resources and money into the problem of youth crime.
She said the overall homicide rate in New Zealand had held steady for the past decade. Police officials told her murders were often higher in January, partly because people had more time on their hands.
"Every one of them is a tragedy and you look behind them to see why does this happen? What I'm interested in is seeing what more we can do to assist the community."
Despite calls for a "crackdown", Ms King said she did not propose the Government lower the age of criminal responsibility or widen the types of cases that are referred from the Youth Court to the High Court - a practice used for only the most severe crimes.
NZ First MP Ron Mark - whose private member's bill to lower the age of criminal responsibility was rejected by a select committee last year - has called for a crackdown in the wake of the latest crimes. "The police should be given the all-clear to break up these gangs, impose curfews as necessary and give the streets back to ordinary New Zealanders."
Mayor Len Brown told the Herald last night that he would soon announce a raft of initiatives to put an end to the graffiti scourge in Manukau City. "What I'm wanting is a 95 to 98 per cent eradication of graffiti in our community."
The city spends $1.2 million removing 300,000 tags each year.
Mayor Brown said the council was working with police, the courts and community groups on the initiative.
One aspect would be getting one person to act as a minder for each street - something that required community backing.
"We need 1400 community volunteers to each own a street. If they see anyone tagging they call police or our anti-tagging team," he said.
It was hoped graffiti would be removed within 24 hours of its appearing, the mayor said.
He is also hoping for political buy-in. "Two years ago we asked the government for support on a private member's bill that banned having spray cans in the city. We want that legislation through."
The bill, introduced by local MP George Hawkins, is due back in Parliament next month.
Sully Paea, co-manager of Otara's Crosspower Ministries, has said criminals are getting younger and the crimes they commit more ruthless.
"They know that if they're under 17 it'll be a slap on the wrist, and they'll get away with it."
Mr Paea has said it is also a concern that some people are beginning to dish out their own punishment.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING: NZPA
