New Police Minister, same old Labour

Police Minister Chris Hipkins’ admission that he hasn’t visited a single ram-raided business is unbelievable, National’s Police spokesperson Mark Mitchell says.

“When asked in Parliament today how many businesses he had visited that had been victims of ram-raids, the Minister said he hadn’t visited any.

“And then when asked how many businesses have had security systems installed to protect themselves when ram-raids have increased by 518 per cent, Chris Hipkins said he didn’t know.

“It is blatantly clear the Minister has no interest in hearing directly from victims who have had to endure the onslaught on ram-raids into their shop fronts. The fact that he hasn’t visited one single business shows just how out of touch he is with what’s happening in our communities.

“I attended a public meeting last night where I heard directly from Kiwis who have been affected by ram-raids. I suggest Chris Hipkins gets out of the Beehive and joins me to meet with victims who are suffering from this Labour Government’s soft-on-crime approach. 

“Chris Hipkins was brought in to return focus to the police portfolio and address Labour’s soft on crime failures in law and order, but it would appear he is no better than his predecessor. Ram-raids have continued to surge since he became Minister and don’t appear to be subsiding anytime soon.”