9. Question No. 9—JusticeJAMES MEAGER (National—Rangitata) to the Minister of JusticeQuestion No. 9—Justice9. JAMES MEAGER (National—Rangitata) to the Minister of Justice: How is the Government progressing with its plan to restore law and order?Hon PAUL GOLDSMITH (Minister of Justice): Thank you Mr Speaker. The Government is well advanced on our plan to restore law and order with a combination of both extra resources for front-line delivery and legislative change to ensure real consequences for crime. Yesterday the military-style academy pilot began a powerful intervention that's necessary to turn the lives around of young people who are committing a significant proportion of youth crime in New Zealand. And today the Gangs Legislation Amendment Bill will have its second reading providing police with more tools to deal with gangs.James Meager: What will the Gangs Legislation Amendment Bill do?Hon PAUL GOLDSMITH: The Gangs Legislation Amendment Bill set down for second reading provides police with more tools to deal with gangs. It prohibits the display of gang insignia in public places gives police the ability to issue dispersal notices to gatherings that disrupt the public it creates new non-consorting orders and amends the Sentencing Act to make gang membership on its own an aggravating factor. Gangs have for some time been allowed to behave as if they're above the law; they are not.James Meager: What progress has the Government made in recent weeks with its plan to restore law and order?Hon PAUL GOLDSMITH: I recently announced the Government will change the Sentencing Act to ensure real consequences for crime. This will cap the use of sentencing discounts at 40 percent introduce a new aggravating factor to address serious retail crime encourage the use of cumulative sentences and a raft of other changes. Under this Government victims—not offenders—will be the priority of the justice system.James Meager: What other progress has been made?Hon PAUL GOLDSMITH: In response to a significant increase in retail crime over the past five years with the total number of reported victimisations up 86 percent the Government tasked its ministerial advisory group for the victims of retail crime with developing specific proposals to address urgent challenges in retail crime starting with considering greater powers for security guards to detain thieves.Hon Nicole McKee: How will including violent attacks on sole-charge workers as an aggravating factor at sentencing as outlined in the ACT and National coalition agreement contribute to law and order?Hon PAUL GOLDSMITH: We think it's only right that offending against people who live in fear of theft and assault because they work alone or their business is interconnected with their home results in a tougher sentence. Victims' interests should always be front of mind at sentencing and that is why the Government's package of sentencing reform will give this greater weight because this Government thinks victims are the priority not the perpetrators.James Meager: What recent comments has he seen about restoring law and order in regard to prioritising the needs of victims?Hon PAUL GOLDSMITH: Today I read a new report published by Victim Support that recommended: The media justice system and public discourse should emphasise that crime is the fault of criminals not victims." This Government agrees which is why in Budget 2024 we provided an additional $8 million over four years to increase financial grants to victims of serious crime through the Victim Assistance Scheme and why we've set an ambitious target to reduce the number of people who are the victims of assault robbery or sexual assault by 20000 by 2029.Hon Ginny Andersen: Does he agree with Christopher Luxon who said "I'm telling you when we get in Government we're not doing working groups and endless kumbaya and lots of talking." and if so why is he setting up a working group that has two years of talking before reporting back?Hon PAUL GOLDSMITH: Well I always agree with the Prime Minister. And of course we're not setting up a working group to wait for two years. I've made it very clear that I want that group which will be chaired by Sunny Kaushal to come up with specific proposals quickly on how we can deal with the retail crime that we've got. We need to make progress faster in that area.Ricardo Menéndez March: Point of order. Thank you Mr Speaker. I wanted to raise this at the earliest available opportunity. I was just taking advice from the Clerk and so just wanted to raise a matter that I take personal offence to. So after the point of order that I did in relationship to Tamatha Paul's question Todd McClay the Minister of Trade threw a barb back saying—as best as I can understand—"You're not in Mexico now. We don't do things like that here." I've just consulted with Debbie Ngarewa-Packer and Teanau just to confirm the contents of that interjection. So I just want you to know that I take personal offence to it.SPEAKER: Yeah OK. So firstly the Hon Todd McClay was that an interjection that was offered across the House? And if it was I would suggest he might withdraw and apologise.Hon Todd McClay: I withdraw and apologise."