ACT
Outrageous daylight attack shows Nats, Labour failure on youth crime

“The outrageous daylight attack on a train and its passengers in Mt Albert is the final end point of the out of control youth crime problem gifted to New Zealand by National and Labour governments, ACT leader David Seymour says.

“We now have a situation where gangs of masked young thugs can attack a train full of passengers knowing they won’t be touched by criminal law,” he said. “They are laughing at the government and the law.”

“That is why ACT’s priority is fixing the youth offending epidemic. ACT would increase the period that young people can be sentenced to youth justice facilities to 1 year. Even more importantly, we’d make their parents responsible for their offending – those parents would face mandatory parenting classes, and those on benefits would be put on income management.

“Everyone knows ACT is the toughest party on crime, and we are also the smartest. ACT will also crack down on truancy and youth offending through education, and ensure victims get immediate payment at sentencing with the Ministry of Justice responsible for the offenders’ debt.

“This problem isn’t new, even if the attacks are now getting young criminals from South Auckland to hop trains and terrorise students at Remuera Normal Intermediate and steal their bikes

“Earlier this weekend, police were involved in a three-hour stand-off to prevent a brawl among the 60 youths loitering at the Orakei train station.

“We have governments spending billions to encourage people onto public transport where they become targets for youth gangs and can’t even be sure of getting from one stop to another safely.”

“Successive governments’ failure to stem the tide of youth crime hurts poor communities most of all - many South Auckland residents won’t take the Southern line after 7.30pm at all because of the chaos on Auckland’s train network.

ENDS

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