Gang crackdown begins at stroke of midnight

The free ride for gangs is over when the clock strikes midnight tonight, with tough new laws officially coming into effect, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith and Police Minister Mark Mitchell say.

"Gang patches will no longer be able to be worn in public. To earn the right to wear a gang patch you have to have committed violent crime. There are a trail of tears and victims behind each one of those gang patches," Mr Goldsmith says.

"Gangs in our country think they're above the law and can choose which laws they comply with, and this Government does not accept that. We have a justice system that applies equally to everyone.

"A raft of new laws take effect tonight. Gang insignia will be banned in all public places, courts will be able to issue non-consorting orders, and Police will be able to stop criminal gang members from associating and communicating, as committed to in the National, Act and NZ First coalition agreements.

"Greater weight will also be given to gang membership at sentencing, enabling courts to impose more severe punishments.

"Repeat offenders continually convicted of displaying their patches in public will be subject to a new court order, prohibiting them from possessing any gang insignia either in public or private for five years," Mr Goldsmith says.

"Labour did absolutely nothing to stem the 50 per cent increase in gang members under their watch. Between their offender-oriented approach to justice and their rotating carousel of police ministers, gang life was far more appealing than it should ever be to any young New Zealander," Mr Mitchell says.

"Tonight, that changes.

"With the establishment of district gang units, Police are ready to make maximum use of the new tools brought in to target disruptive gang events, and enforce the new gang laws.

"Gang members make up less than one-quarter of one per cent of the New Zealand adult population, but are linked to 18 per cent of all serious violent crime, 19 per cent of all homicides and 23 per cent of all firearms offences.

"Our message to the gangs is clear, the days of behaving like you are above the law are over.

"This Government is serious about restoring law and order, backing Police with more powers and tools to tackle gangs, disrupt criminal behaviour, and keep Kiwis safe."