7. LYNNE PILLAY (Labour—Waitakere) Link to this
to the Minister of Justice
What action has the Government taken to address organised crime in New Zealand?
Hon ANNETTE KING (Minister of Justice) Link to this
The Government has introduced a wide-ranging package of measures to address organised crime that have been developed over the past year. Earlier this year I released the national Organised Crime Strategy. We have established the form, the powers, and the functions of the new Organised and Financial Crime Agency of New Zealand, to be located within the New Zealand Police. The Serious Fraud Office (Abolition and Transitional Provisions) Bill has been introduced. We have introduced the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Bill, which will further enable property and profits from crime to be confiscated. Today I have tabled the Organised Crime (Penalties and Sentencing) Bill. Finally, a range of amendments is currently being drafted to increase search and surveillance powers in order to help further tackle organised criminal gangs.
The Organised Crime (Penalties and Sentencing) Bill increases the maximum penalty for participation in an organised criminal group under section 98A of the Crimes Act from 5 to 10 years. The increase in the maximum penalty to 10 years will make interception warrants available for investigations. The bill also amends the Sentencing Act to provide that it is an aggravating factor where an offence is committed partly or wholly because of the offender’s participation in an organised criminal group.
Dail JonesCan the Minister confirm that although this recently announced change to section 98A of the Crimes Act is a positive move, her Government was responsible for the much-heralded 2002 amendment of the same section that, despite a massive rise in prosecutions for membership of an organised crime group, resulted in a dismal conviction rate of just 13.9 percent of those prosecuted between 2003 and 2006, and can she assure the House that this proposed change will be any more successful?
I believe that it will be considerably more successful, and I welcome the support from New Zealand First for the bill I have tabled today.
I am pleased to hear that John Key has indicated support for our bill. That goes against National’s lack of support for the toughening of the laws against violence and organised crime. For example, National voted against the Parole Act 2002, which significantly increased the amount of time that offenders spend in prison; and National voted against the Sentencing Act, which introduced tougher sentences for the worst murders, and lifted the standard non-parole period within a life sentence from 10 years to at least 17 years. So I can only say that National has had a conversion on the way to the ballot box.