Worth Richard: Organised Crime (Penalties and Sentencing) Bill — First Reading 
Worth Richard: Organised Crime (Penalties and Sentencing) Bill — First Reading 
[Volume:648;Page:17013] 
Dr RICHARD WORTH (National) 
: 
 There cannot be too many bills that come to this Parliament with only two pages but that is the case of the Organised Crime (Penalties and Sentencing) Bill which National unreservedly supports. These are serious issues and I think most members on this side of the House will ask why the Government has not moved more quickly to deal with those issues. The problem of organised crime in New Zealand which the Government has been hugely slow to deal with is an insidious growing and dangerous one. I note for example that Hell’s Angels is rated the most influential crime group in New Zealand and the hardest to catch. I raise its motto as an issue for consideration by this House as to the seriousness of this issue. What is its motto? Its motto is “Three people can keep a secret if two are dead.” 
I think we all know about the rise in violent crime in New Zealand. I think we all know also about the epidemic of methamphetamine otherwise known as P that is taking an increasing hold on communities—not only communities in South Auckland but communities where what might be known as the higher socio-economic groups live. It is truly frightening. As grandparents and as parents we must be very concerned about what might happen to our children who are exposed to these drugs which to a significant extent are distributed by gangs in New Zealand. We are not talking about only one gang. I have probably been wrong in singling out Hell’s Angels. We are talking also about groups like the Headhunters and Highway 61. 
National has been very committed in taking a strong stance on organised crime. I think we have felt incredibly frustrated that the Government has not been prepared to respond to some of the things that National has said as a matter of policy are very much part of the fabric of what I am certain will be a new Government in 2009. I will talk for a moment about some of the things we will do to deal with this issue some of the things we will do to give the police increased powers to listen in on gang communications and some of the things we will do to give the police increased powers to storm gang fortifications and destroy them. This Government is seemingly reluctant to do that even though—and I am looking at the Minister of Justice—there are already some powers in the legislation that the Government seems reluctant to employ. We will also make it illegal to be a member of a criminal organisation. I pause sadly I guess but with wry amusement to note that in connection with Part 2 of the bill our announced policy is to amend the Sentencing Act to make membership of a gang an aggravating factor in sentencing. Wow! The Government has taken that policy. Well maybe it is good that it has snatched the policy but it should have taken it a long time before this and it should have implemented it in legislation rather than leaving it to this very last moment. 
I think also when we look at these issues relating to organised crime that we need to focus a little more strongly on the plight of victims than this Government is prepared to do and I would like to say something about that. It may be the case that the Government will take these policies; if it does then good on it! That is an acceptance of the fact that the policies that National espouses are strong and an indication that they enjoy some degree of bipartisan support across this House. One of the things we will do for example is set up a victim compensation scheme funded by a levy on all offenders at the point of sentencing. To this point the Labour-led Government has dismissed that and I think in quite sneering terms. It is interesting to note that in Canada there is such a scheme and that the United Kingdom Government brought in such a regime as recently as April 2007. There are other things that we will do in connection with the plight of victims. 
Dealing with organised crime is very challenging and very difficult—I doubt anyone would dispute that—and we have a whole lot of policies that are firmly focused around that issue. It is unenviable police work and those who are present in the House who have had experience in policing will know how dangerous it is and what the consequences are for those involved. 
Debate interrupted.