Questions remain on Labour’s approach to gangs
Labour cannot be trusted on gangs, as much as Chris Hipkins tries to claim otherwise, National’s Justice spokesperson Paul Goldsmith says.
“If the Greens and Te Pati Māori’s meetings with gangs were an error, what was Labour’s $2.75 million gift to the Mongrel Mob in 2021?
“Ruling out their coalition partners from holding law and order portfolios makes no difference. In a single-party majority government with all law and order portfolios held by Labour MPs, crime skyrocketed and the Mongrel Mob was given almost $3 million.
“The Police Minister that failed to do anything to reduce crime remains Labour’s Police Spokesperson.
“With Labour failing to release a single law and order policy, there remain several unanswered questions about Labour’s soft approach to gangs.
“Both the Greens and Te Pati Maori want to repeal the gang patch ban. Will Labour make keeping it a bottom line, despite voting against it being introduced?
“Will Labour continue to fund Mongrel Mob meth programmes if elected?
“Will Labour repeal Three Strikes, and would this mean more gang members are in the community instead of in prison?
“Will Labour bring back taxpayer-funded cultural reports used to gain sentence discounts for gang members?
“Has Chris Hipkins asked Willie Jackson about the meetings he has held with gangs and what the nature of those meetings were? Do those meetings rule Mr Jackson out of cabinet under Hipkins’ rules and if not, why not?
“Has any Labour MP who has met with gangs ever asked those gang members what they did to get their patch?
“When will Labour release its law and order policy?
“Have any Labour MPs met with gangs this term?”
