| Media item | |
| | Making New Zealand Safer: Real Results, Real Change | | The Star (Christchurch),
Christchurch
| 04 Sep 2025 | | General News - Page 10 - 396 words - ID 1122443199 - Photo: No - Type: News Item - Size: 133.00cm2 | |
Sometimes we forget how lucky we are in New Zealand. Recently the BBC published the Top 10 countries in the 2025 Global Peace Index. Iceland is top, followed by Ireland with New Zealand moving up to come in third, ahead of Austria and Switzerland. We are ranked the third most peaceful country in the world. The move up is credited to "improvements in the safety and security domain".
That peaceful reputation is backed by real progress. Did you know that in the year to February, there were 28,000 fewer victims of violent crime across New Zealand compared to the baseline set in October 2023. That's like the whole population of Timaru avoiding being assaulted, bashed or worse. In Canterbury alone, we've seen 5,000 fewer victims.
These results show the Government's approach to law and order is working - but there's more to do to make Kiwis feel safe at home, at work, and out in the community.
We're ahead of our target to reduce violent crime, and we've given police and the courts better tools to crack down on gangs and repeat offenders. Including:
Reintroducing a tougher "three strikes" law. Restoring proper sentencing by limiting sentence discounts.
Removing Section 27 reports that often shifted attention away from victims.
We also passed new laws that ensure serious criminals face longer sentences and fewer legal loopholes bringing back real consequences for crime.
Remember Ram Raids? You don't hear much about them now because we've also acted on serious retail offending. RNZ reports ram raid incidents peaked at 86 in a single month in August 2022 but have dropped to around nine per month in 2025, that is nearly a 10-fold reduction.
In 2024, 11% of New Zealanders were victims of fraud or cybercrime, with losses estimated at $1.6 billion. I meet residents coming in to my electorate office who have suffered at the hands of these hidden criminals. The emotional and financial toll is significant.
To fight this, we've joined the Budapest Convention, the only international treaty focused on cybercrime. It helps our law enforcement align with other countries and improves global cooperation to catch online criminals, even overseas.
It's good progress so far, but we know the jobs not done. Every New Zealander deserves to feel safe in their home, business, and community.
We're committed to making that happen. Kind regards Hamish Campbell, MP for Ilam
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