Kiwis demand harsher penalties for drink-drivers, survey shows
Industry group the New Zealand Alcohol Beverages Council (NZABC) surveyed 1000 Kiwis and found support for harm-reduction measures such as confiscating cars, targeted support programmes and heavier fines.
The survey showed 79% support confiscating cars from drink drivers,
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NZ Herald
10 hours ago
- NZ Herald
Boot camps or sports camps? Sean Fitzpatrick is backing sport to reduce youth crime in NZ
Oranga Tamariki deputy chief executive and pilot lead Iain Chapman says there are encouraging signs that the pilot is working, despite the criticism. Whatever the answer, youth crime is a community problem. It affects everyone. At the upper end, retailers and shoppers are terrified by armed robberies; at the lower end, Kiwis are maddened when their cars are stolen or their property is covered in graffiti. The Government will point to encouraging stats. The number of crimes committed by youths has decreased year on year for some time. But the frequency and level of offending by the group that do show up in the stats has increased. In short, that group are behaving badly more often. And gang membership has increased to more than 10,000, often young people looking for a sense of brotherhood and belonging. With that comes an explosion in the distribution and use of methamphetamine. New Zealanders look to the Government to 'fix' the problem but, with no easy answer in sight, we should be looking more widely and considering different options. Former All Black great Sean Fitzpatrick chairs the global charity Laureus Sport for Good Foundation in London, set up on the urging of the late Nelson Mandela 25 years ago. Mandela, addressing the elite sport members who make up the foundation, urged them to use their reputations and sport to help bring about social change. Sport, he told them, 'speaks to youth in a language they understand. It laughs in the face of all types of discrimination.' The foundation has since helped millions of children and youths in 40 countries take part in sport-based activities. Some of its projects are unrelatable to New Zealand. In many cases, the Laureus Foundation is saving kids from sweatshops, child prostitution or becoming illiterate child brides, all through sport. But some of its projects can be replicated in New Zealand. In London it launched a project called Midnight Basketball, replicating an initiative by Laureus member and basketball great Michael Jordan in Chicago. A rundown gymnasium in a closed-up school in east London was restored, and now opens each day between 11pm and 5am. Local youths come to play basketball and have something to eat. They are encouraged by mentors to go back to school or learn a skill, and they learn teamwork, discipline and structure. Having seen the results, Fitzpatrick thinks sport can be a game-changer for troubled or disadvantaged youths in any country. In the past Laureus has supported New Zealand's Billy Graham Youth Foundation, which runs fitness and boxing gyms. Fitzpatrick has also had discussions with Sport New Zealand CEO Raelene Castle about how the two organisations can work together to use sport as a way of reducing youth crime. And Fitzpatrick has been involved in early discussions about Christchurch becoming a Laureus 'model city', where local organisations are supported to tackle social issues through sport and physical activity. An example of what is already working is The Mill, a youth facility and gym in Kaikohe. A new documentary, Kaikohe Blood & Fire, that premieres in Auckland this weekend, follows the remarkable turnaround of a group of kickboxers training at the gym. Hundreds of local kids use The Mill, mostly for free, and yet the gym's owners have had to plead for funds in the past to keep the place open. The Government, local and regional bodies, charities, philanthropists and those able to volunteer would do well to back organisations that are already making a difference in keeping youths, often from backgrounds of abuse, neglect and poverty, off the streets, to give them a sense of purpose and self-worth. Rather than trying to reinvent the wheel, why not support the programmes that are already working? Sign up to the Daily H, a free newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Scoop
2 days ago
- Scoop
On New Zealand Based USA FBI Enforcement Office
Opinion – Kerry Grass New Zealand Government may, for the first time, be demonstrating they are getting realistic about their statements of – 'We are going to get tough on organised crime'. As a New Zealand citizen it is reassuring to hear the announcement today that the USA FBI has the go ahead from New Zealand government to set up an 'FBI Enforcement Office' to be based in Wellington, New Zealand. The USA and most likely the United Kingdom, must have recognised the need for New Zealand to have a helping hand to establish, implement and monitoring the threats arising from organised and trans-national crime. An examination of New Zealand's infrastructure to adequately fight, monitor or report on such crimes is, almost, non-existent. In other words, New Zealand Government is well-behind in its knowledge-base and technology systems to adequately protect its citizens or guide the Pacific Island nations, on how to manage the risks from organised crime and transnational crime. The announcement by USA FBI Chief, Kash Patel, confirmed the focus of this NZ based FBI unit was to ensure stability and peace in the Pacific Island region. There was mention of the need to manage monitoring of risks arising from the increasing presence of State China and State Indo-China in the Pacific Islands region. Mr Patel aligned these risks to narcotics trafficking and other type trans-national crime offending. The objectives of this unit will be positive news to the people of the Pacific Island communities. Hopefully the NZ-USA FBI Unit will also capture New Zealand across its web of countries that it starts monitoring and enforcing against. This would be a significant benefit to New Zealand's citizens. But there are many questions that sill need answering. What laws in New Zealand will this NZ-USA FBI Unit draw its powers from? Where will its data servers be based? How will citizen privacy information be managed and sharing of information from NZ to the USA government led unit? Let's see what eventuates but I am confident this news today is positive for all law abiding New Zealanders and the community members in the Pacific Island region.
1News
2 days ago
- 1News
Five Big Things That Happened Today: Wednesday, July 31
FBI opens Wellington office; Major warrant of fitness change soon; What's going on with the mobile emergency alerts. 1 FBI opens standalone office in Wellington The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has set up a base in New Zealand to "strengthen and enhance" its cooperation with a "key Five Eyes partner in the southwestern Pacific region". The director of the US domestic intelligence and security service, Kash Patel, travelled to Wellington yesterday. He met with key officials — including Defence Minister Judith Collins, Police Minster Mark Mitchell and Foreign Minister Winston Peters — this morning. Read More ADVERTISEMENT 2 What's going on with the emergency mobile phone alerts? Many New Zealanders were woken up by an emergency mobile alert sent out today at 6.30am but, for some, the alerts have either come repeatedly or not at all. Officials say the risk of strong currents and unpredictable surges is still very high following Wednesday's big earthquake in Russia. Read More 3 Major warrant of fitness, CoF change for some vehicles from September From the start of September, vintage light vehicles and private heavy motorhomes will only need to get a new Warrant of Fitness (WoF) or Certificate of Fitness (CoF) once a year, instead of every six months. The updated rules were proposed by the Government in February. ADVERTISEMENT Read More 4 Young person assaulted and robbed in Christchurch The owner of a vehicle is being sought by police after a young person was assaulted and robbed in Christchurch earlier this month. The incident took place near the corner of Kendal Ave and Whitby St around 3pm on Friday, July 18. Read More 5 Concern Howard Temple will remain Gloriavale leader, despite guilty pleas There's concern that Howard Temple will stay on as Gloriavale's leader, despite admitting to abuse against girls and young women. ADVERTISEMENT On Wednesday, the 85-year-old grandfather pleaded guilty to five counts of indecent assault, five of doing an indecent act, and two of common assault. Read More Watch: Alleged drunk driver swerves across Waikato road, narrowly avoids head-on smashes Police were alerted to the driver by a member of the public and swooped in to pull them over. Watch Here ONE FIBRE WARNING Upping your daily fibre intake can boost your health, but the online push to consume eye-watering amounts in the name of "wellness" is misguided and could lead to bloating, cramping, constipation and gas. UK lecturer Lewis Mattin explores the topic. Read More
