Hon Nicole McKee
Associate Minister of Justice

Repeat violent and sexual offenders are officially on notice Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee says.

“Tougher penalties are now in place as the Three Strikes law comes into force today and the message is clear. If you commit serious violent or sexual offences, expect to face increasingly severe consequences. New Zealanders have had enough – they want safer streets, safer homes, and a justice system that puts victims first,” Mrs McKee says.

The Sentencing (Reinstating Three Strikes) Amendment Act 2024 restores the regime scrapped under the previous government and is a central pillar in the Coalition’s drive to restore law and order and protect the public.

Under the Act:

• Offenders convicted of any of 42 serious violent or sexual offences – including new crimes like strangulation and suffocation – will face escalating penalties with each conviction.
• First strike: A formal warning.
• Second strike: No parole.
• Third strike: Maximum sentence without parole.

For example, someone convicted of murder at second or third strike will face a minimum of 17 or 20 years behind bars with no early release.

The Act provides for some judicial discretion to prevent manifestly unjust outcomes. It also sets out principles and guidance to help the courts apply the law and allows a limited benefit for guilty pleas to spare victims further trauma and reduce court delays.

“Importantly, previous strike warnings still count if they meet the new sentencing threshold – ensuring serious repeat offenders can’t escape accountability. The Ministry of Justice has published guidance to help affected individuals, and their lawyers check for active strikes,” Mrs McKee says.

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