March 11, 2025 • 16 mins
New Zealand Police continue to monitor knife crime trends worldwide while other jurisdictions introduce tough new laws, getting ahead of the curve before it’s too late.
What they’re monitoring is reported offending involving knife crime – the likes of serious assaults and aggravated robberies.
Between December 2023 and December 2024, there were 1,639 incidents involving a stabbing or cutting weapon – a 1.7% decrease from the year before.
But, while New Zealand has not seen attacks like the Bondi Junction attack in Sydney, it hasn’t been immune, with notable individual attacks and mass events like the New Lynn mall attack.
South Australia hasn’t seen spikes in knife crime either, but that hasn’t stopped the state introducing the toughest knife laws in the country.
Today on The Front Page, we’re joined by South Australian Attorney-General Kyam Maher to talk through the state’s decision and what advice he’d give New Zealand lawmakers.
And later, acting Deputy Commissioner Mike Pannett is with us to chat about what police are doing to prevent knife crime here.
Follow The Front Page on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
You can read more about this and other stories in the New Zealand Herald, online at nzherald.co.nz, or tune in to news bulletins across the NZME network.
Host: Chelsea Daniels
Sound Engineer/Producer: Richard Martin
Producer: Ethan Sills
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
Yoda. I'm Chelsea Daniels and this is the Front Page,
a daily podcast presented by the New Zealand Herald. New
Zealand police continue to monitor knife crime trends worldwide while
other jurisdictions introduce tough new laws, getting ahead of the
curve before it's too late. What they're monitoring is reported
(00:29):
offending involving knife crime, the likes of serious assaults and
aggravated robberies. Between December twenty twenty three and December twenty
twenty four, there were just over sixteen hundred incidents involving
a stabbing or cutting weapon, a one point seven percent
decrease from the year before. But while New Zealand has
not seen attacks like the Bondi Junction attack in Sydney,
(00:52):
it hasn't been immune. Today on the Front Page, Acting
Deputy Commissioner Mike Pannett is with us to chat about
what police doing to prevent knife crime here. But first off,
South Australia hasn't seen any spikes in knife crime either,
but that hasn't stopped the state introducing the toughest knife
laws in the country. We're joined by South Australian Attorney
(01:14):
General Kam mah to talk through the state's decision and
what advice he would give for New Zealand law makers.
Can you run me through what South Australia is doing
when it comes to knife crime laws.
Speaker 2 (01:29):
Yep.
Speaker 3 (01:30):
We've had a good look right around Australia at different
elements of what different jurisdictions do in terms of making
the community safer in related to knife crime. And although
South Australia hasn't seen some of the events that many
people in New Zealand be familiar with, you o, the
tragedy of bond DII Junction shopping center and knife crime
particularly in the Eastern States. Although we haven't seen that
(01:50):
in South throw we were keen to make sure we
were doing everything we can. So we've had a look
at what other states do and then a lot of
work with the police in South Australia to put forward
legislation that will be debated next week in the South
Australian Parliament that would be the toughest knife crime laws
in Australia and it really composes of sort of a
whole lot of things, but in two broad categories. Firstly,
(02:13):
it's making sure police have a whole lot of new
power to detech people who might have knives, and that's
the wand metal detectors being able to use them in
a whole range of different settings without suspicion, which they
can't at the moment, but also ways to restrict the
availability of knives, and that will include things like a
(02:34):
whole range of knives, needing secure storage in stores so
they can't just be taken off a shelf, they have
to be in a locked cabinet, and restricting without any exemptions,
the sale of knives to people under the age of
eighteen years and then further offenses for adults who supply
knives to children.
Speaker 1 (02:50):
Has knife crime been increasing in recent years or has
your government just decided to be ahead of the curb.
Speaker 3 (02:57):
We haven't seen any significant increase in knife crime in
South Australia, but most outstraams probably witness with some degree
of distress what we see in well publicized incidents, particularly
in the Eastern States. We have had a tradition in
South Australia having the toughest laws in Australia in relation
to knife crime, so we wanted to make sure we
(03:18):
keep up that mantle so that we're making South Australia
as safe as possible.
Speaker 1 (03:21):
When you say, and I've had a look over the
changes being implemented. When you say a license for people
wishing to own certain types of knives, what are those?
Speaker 3 (03:32):
So, in addition to the measures in restricting supply giving
police more powers, there will be certain types of knife
type weapons that will become prohibited weapons, meaning you can't
have them, things like swords and machetes. But then other
sorts of knives you have, the sharp bladed knives that
come to a point, will have significant restrictions on their sale.
(03:53):
That is behind the lock cabinets, secure storage, signage in
relation to those and signage in relations the offense of
people under aiding buying them.
Speaker 1 (04:01):
Have you had any kickback from any groups when it
comes to these laws. I know people here get pretty
nervous whenever a frontline police are given any powers to
kind of spot search in the lake.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
Look, there are elements who are always concerned when there
are increased police powers. But this power to use those
metal detector wands in a range of areas, and those
sorts of areas are declared public transport hubs, declared shopping
precincts of the police Commissioner can declare educational precincts like
schools and other places, or any area where the police
(04:33):
think there's a likelihood of violence or disorder. We haven't
had too much concern about those police powers that there
has been some concern raids from retailers who, of course
we'll have this new obligation to make sure knives are
securely stored, but we do that in South Australian relation
to some other products. For example, for many years now
spray paint cans have to be securely stored behind locked
(04:55):
doors as an anti graffiti measure so they're not just stolen.
So yeah, it is something we done in alareas. We
think it's pretty reasonable. Yeah, given some of the incidents
we've seen interstate in Australia that knives should be stored
in the same way.
Speaker 4 (05:10):
The blood bath in Bondi began at three twenty on
Saturday afternoon. Joel Cauchi drew a long blade from his
backpack and started his rampage on Level tree of the
shopping center. He stabbed multiple people before making his way
to level four. As he climbed the escalator, he was
confronted by a man with a Bollard. It was on
(05:31):
this level he attacked several innocent shoppers, leaving carnage between
Meyer and David Jones twenty five long minutes after the
terror began. It would end with Amy Scott opening fire
and stopping a murderer in his tracks.
Speaker 1 (05:53):
How did you land on some of these options? Did
you consult overseas jurisdictions at all?
Speaker 3 (05:58):
Yeah, we primarily ran different Australian jurisdictions. All the states
and territories have slight variations in relation to our criminal law,
so I was looking what other states do. A lot
of consultation with retail associations and the union that represents
retail workers, but the biggest consultation and the input that
was most valuable was from the South Australian police, who
(06:21):
had a range of ideas about how the laws could work,
how they could be implemented, and the power they need. But
also those new restrictions on the sale of knife So
I had a lot of work with police. I'm doing
this too.
Speaker 1 (06:32):
What advice would you give the New Zealand government on
how to go about knife crime laws because we're kind
of in the same situation here as South Australia. Is
that we haven't really seen an increase and there hasn't
been too many there have been in the past. Of course,
I'm thinking about the new Lin terror attack down at
Countdown in New LN. What kind of advice would you
give legislators.
Speaker 3 (06:51):
Here, I reckon from our experience. We put a discussion
paper out in August last year, had something like one
hundred or so public submission, and as I said, a
lot of interaction with law enforcement authorities. If I was
giving advice, it would be that thorough consultation. A lot,
about half of what we've now got in the bill
went out for consultation and it was that process that
(07:13):
threw up for you, as I said, from retail associations,
from the police, new and better ways to protect the public,
keep the community. So so that consultation piece was probably
the most vergual part of how we arrived at while
we arrived here in say.
Speaker 1 (07:26):
Thanks for joining us, no problem whatsoever. After meeting with
Australian counterparts last year, Police Minister Mark Mitchell raised concerns
about increased levels of knife violence overseas with police here.
(07:51):
He had asked police for advice on the matter and
was pleased to find out they were working on a
strategy to address it. I just want to make sure
we are proactive and we do all that we can
as a country to make sure that we don't end
up in a situation like that, he said. But no
such strategy exists. Police are only monitoring, keeping a close
(08:13):
eye on what's happening overseas and will continue to closely
monitor this. To chat about this, we speak with Acting
Deputy Commissioner Mike Pennett. So after our police minister visited
Australia last year, he raised concerns about increased levels of
(08:33):
knife crime overseas with police, he apparently was welcoming a
strategy to address it. He told The Herald at the time.
I just want to make sure that we're proactive and
we do all that we can as a country to
make sure that we don't end up in a situation
like that and like that, I mean the Bondi incident
in Sydney. Now has there been any work underway on
(08:56):
a national knife crime strategy?
Speaker 2 (08:58):
So be working around knife crime and constantly keeping the
Minister's office and our partner agents has performed for what
the current position of knife crime is. By that, I'm
referring to our reported offending involving life crime, but also
what our staff on the street seeing, what having you start,
whatever events staff is seeing, and also feedback from the.
Speaker 1 (09:20):
Community what are staff seeing on the street.
Speaker 2 (09:23):
So statistically wise, our life crime figures are actually relatively
stable and have been over the last five years, but
anincdobally we are very closely monitoring areas that have increased
a little bit, and we're booking some of the city centers,
particularly Auckland City Center, some of our provinces and in
particular maybe a Hastings Hawks Bay area where we have
(09:45):
seen us slight upturn in knife crime, but also noting
the presence of knives and a number of robberies, and
that's something that's probably gained chealthy and that we are
seeing probably the emergence of knives slow the settings larger
weapons being used in robberies. So we're very closely one
and three that right.
Speaker 1 (10:05):
So there hasn't been any noticeable increase in NFE crime
in New Zealand. What does that data look like?
Speaker 2 (10:11):
So at this stage we're just looking at our figures.
We have had overall the consistency two in numbers. We're
not seeing a huge increase in the national picture. But
what we are probably acutely aware of is the exposure
to a lot of our youth to the online platforms
(10:31):
and social media that have another countries encouraged the carriage
of knives and use of knives, and we are staying
very connected to that. One of the initiatives that we
have done, particularly with our be team stutying and often
willing to equ is making them aware of the situation
and monitoring on the streets our high risk areas in
(10:53):
the central cities. Yeah.
Speaker 5 (11:02):
Look, I mean incredibly sad and just shocked, to be honest,
and just thoughts are really with the family of the
of the victim because you know, you know, they were
just going about their everyday life, and you know, there
could have been anyone in New Zealand. And I think
that's why our New Zealanders will feel pretty confronted by
by by this issue in this incident, because you know,
there was someone trying to go about their daily life
(11:24):
and and and lost their life, and that shouldn't happen
in New Zealand. So you know, there's and I'm obviously
an ongoing investigation. I can't talk too much about the
specifics of that, but suffice to say, you know, we
need to we need to think again about what more
we can be doing.
Speaker 1 (11:41):
All right, So what are we seeing on online? Is
that the likes of tektok or something.
Speaker 2 (11:45):
Yeah, so I think globally, and you've referenced it before,
some of the Australian jurisdictions and the UK, for example,
have had challenges with increased nighte crime and increased nine use.
That's something we don't want to see happening. In New Zealand.
Our police officers every day put the cyber or stab
resistant on to go out and do their job. It's
(12:07):
a cost reminder of knife crime, but it's also a
cost reminder of the fact that we want to keep
our seat stape, we want to keep our community scape
and produce reduced victims of knife crime.
Speaker 1 (12:19):
So there hasn't been any noticeable increase in South Australia either,
I'm sure you've seen, but they've decided to bring in
the toughest knife laws in the country, things like giving
police greater powers to conduct wanding searchers at shopping centers
and public transport, hubs and vehicles. And it also means
shops would need to keep knives securely locked up. Should
(12:41):
we look at similar laws here?
Speaker 2 (12:43):
I think that's part of what we're constantly looking at
as and there's the two lens for that one. Firstly,
it's around the reaction or how we police an increased
use of life crime. You know, it's something some of
the Australian europe have really experienced a lot more than
(13:04):
New Zealand. But the ability to stop and search, the
ability to warn, and the increase powers of search are
something that they've moved towards. We are fortunate the States
and that our statistic powers allow us to search under
certain conditions and that the stages is working for us.
Speaker 6 (13:26):
Police said this man was a known threat and had
been since twenty sixteen, which is why up until now
had been under constant surveillance. It appairs all countdown and
pharmacy staff have been evacuated. They were locked down in
the mall here for quite some time.
Speaker 3 (13:42):
There's still a heavy.
Speaker 6 (13:43):
Police presence here. You can probably hear the Eagle helicopter
overhead now and it looks like police will remain here
for some time as they try to piece together just
what happened.
Speaker 1 (13:57):
So New Zealand hasn't been immune to knife chrome though.
I'm of course thinking about the Newlyn terror attack when
an Islamic State supporter stabbed five shoppers in a frenzied
attack before being shot dead at the Newlyn countdown in
September twenty twenty one. He took a knife off the
supermarket shelf, and just months before, four people were stabbed
(14:17):
at a countdown in Dunedin. So despite not seeing a
significant uptech in knife crime like others overseas have, we
haven't been immune. So shouldn't we be ahead of the curve.
Speaker 2 (14:29):
Look, we are certainly working with retailers, we're certainly working
with other agencies to make sure that we are aware
of the dynamics of knife crime, but how lives can
be used not only for terrorist events, but four attacks
in the public places, crowded plases. We have a crowded
places strategy in New Zialm which very much addresses the
potential for a knife crime or a life attack. It's
(14:52):
something that we are constantly monitoring. Museum Police has an
evidence based policing capability that looks at their wild best
practiced and informs us at two and we can go
through legislators that we need to address life clime or change.
Speaker 1 (15:06):
In the law right, but that's just not anytime soon.
Speaker 2 (15:09):
Well, we'll constant model dev situation in the community and
on the streets, and if we see that change environment,
that rap tage, we will certainly be flagging it up
and looking to addresser.
Speaker 1 (15:20):
Thanks for joining us, Thank you, Chelsea. That's it for
this episode of the Front Page. You can read more
about today's stories and extensive news coverage at NZDHERLD, dot
co dot MZ. The Front Page is produced by Ethan
Sills and Richard Martin, who is also our sound engineer.
(15:43):
I'm Chelsea Daniels. Subscribe to The Front Page on iHeartRadio
or where do you get your podcasts, and tune in
tomorrow for another look behind the headlines.
Yoda. I'm Chelsea Daniels and this is the Front Page,
a daily podcast presented by the New Zealand Herald. New
Zealand police continue to monitor knife crime trends worldwide while
other jurisdictions introduce tough new laws, getting ahead of the
curve before it's too late. What they're monitoring is reported
(00:29):
offending involving knife crime, the likes of serious assaults and
aggravated robberies. Between December twenty twenty three and December twenty
twenty four, there were just over sixteen hundred incidents involving
a stabbing or cutting weapon, a one point seven percent
decrease from the year before. But while New Zealand has
not seen attacks like the Bondi Junction attack in Sydney,
(00:52):
it hasn't been immune. Today on the Front Page, Acting
Deputy Commissioner Mike Pannett is with us to chat about
what police doing to prevent knife crime here. But first off,
South Australia hasn't seen any spikes in knife crime either,
but that hasn't stopped the state introducing the toughest knife
laws in the country. We're joined by South Australian Attorney
(01:14):
General Kam mah to talk through the state's decision and
what advice he would give for New Zealand law makers.
Can you run me through what South Australia is doing
when it comes to knife crime laws.
Speaker 2 (01:29):
Yep.
Speaker 3 (01:30):
We've had a good look right around Australia at different
elements of what different jurisdictions do in terms of making
the community safer in related to knife crime. And although
South Australia hasn't seen some of the events that many
people in New Zealand be familiar with, you o, the
tragedy of bond DII Junction shopping center and knife crime
particularly in the Eastern States. Although we haven't seen that
(01:50):
in South throw we were keen to make sure we
were doing everything we can. So we've had a look
at what other states do and then a lot of
work with the police in South Australia to put forward
legislation that will be debated next week in the South
Australian Parliament that would be the toughest knife crime laws
in Australia and it really composes of sort of a
whole lot of things, but in two broad categories. Firstly,
(02:13):
it's making sure police have a whole lot of new
power to detech people who might have knives, and that's
the wand metal detectors being able to use them in
a whole range of different settings without suspicion, which they
can't at the moment, but also ways to restrict the
availability of knives, and that will include things like a
(02:34):
whole range of knives, needing secure storage in stores so
they can't just be taken off a shelf, they have
to be in a locked cabinet, and restricting without any exemptions,
the sale of knives to people under the age of
eighteen years and then further offenses for adults who supply
knives to children.
Speaker 1 (02:50):
Has knife crime been increasing in recent years or has
your government just decided to be ahead of the curb.
Speaker 3 (02:57):
We haven't seen any significant increase in knife crime in
South Australia, but most outstraams probably witness with some degree
of distress what we see in well publicized incidents, particularly
in the Eastern States. We have had a tradition in
South Australia having the toughest laws in Australia in relation
to knife crime, so we wanted to make sure we
(03:18):
keep up that mantle so that we're making South Australia
as safe as possible.
Speaker 1 (03:21):
When you say, and I've had a look over the
changes being implemented. When you say a license for people
wishing to own certain types of knives, what are those?
Speaker 3 (03:32):
So, in addition to the measures in restricting supply giving
police more powers, there will be certain types of knife
type weapons that will become prohibited weapons, meaning you can't
have them, things like swords and machetes. But then other
sorts of knives you have, the sharp bladed knives that
come to a point, will have significant restrictions on their sale.
(03:53):
That is behind the lock cabinets, secure storage, signage in
relation to those and signage in relations the offense of
people under aiding buying them.
Speaker 1 (04:01):
Have you had any kickback from any groups when it
comes to these laws. I know people here get pretty
nervous whenever a frontline police are given any powers to
kind of spot search in the lake.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
Look, there are elements who are always concerned when there
are increased police powers. But this power to use those
metal detector wands in a range of areas, and those
sorts of areas are declared public transport hubs, declared shopping
precincts of the police Commissioner can declare educational precincts like
schools and other places, or any area where the police
(04:33):
think there's a likelihood of violence or disorder. We haven't
had too much concern about those police powers that there
has been some concern raids from retailers who, of course
we'll have this new obligation to make sure knives are
securely stored, but we do that in South Australian relation
to some other products. For example, for many years now
spray paint cans have to be securely stored behind locked
(04:55):
doors as an anti graffiti measure so they're not just stolen.
So yeah, it is something we done in alareas. We
think it's pretty reasonable. Yeah, given some of the incidents
we've seen interstate in Australia that knives should be stored
in the same way.
Speaker 4 (05:10):
The blood bath in Bondi began at three twenty on
Saturday afternoon. Joel Cauchi drew a long blade from his
backpack and started his rampage on Level tree of the
shopping center. He stabbed multiple people before making his way
to level four. As he climbed the escalator, he was
confronted by a man with a Bollard. It was on
(05:31):
this level he attacked several innocent shoppers, leaving carnage between
Meyer and David Jones twenty five long minutes after the
terror began. It would end with Amy Scott opening fire
and stopping a murderer in his tracks.
Speaker 1 (05:53):
How did you land on some of these options? Did
you consult overseas jurisdictions at all?
Speaker 3 (05:58):
Yeah, we primarily ran different Australian jurisdictions. All the states
and territories have slight variations in relation to our criminal law,
so I was looking what other states do. A lot
of consultation with retail associations and the union that represents
retail workers, but the biggest consultation and the input that
was most valuable was from the South Australian police, who
(06:21):
had a range of ideas about how the laws could work,
how they could be implemented, and the power they need. But
also those new restrictions on the sale of knife So
I had a lot of work with police. I'm doing
this too.
Speaker 1 (06:32):
What advice would you give the New Zealand government on
how to go about knife crime laws because we're kind
of in the same situation here as South Australia. Is
that we haven't really seen an increase and there hasn't
been too many there have been in the past. Of course,
I'm thinking about the new Lin terror attack down at
Countdown in New LN. What kind of advice would you
give legislators.
Speaker 3 (06:51):
Here, I reckon from our experience. We put a discussion
paper out in August last year, had something like one
hundred or so public submission, and as I said, a
lot of interaction with law enforcement authorities. If I was
giving advice, it would be that thorough consultation. A lot,
about half of what we've now got in the bill
went out for consultation and it was that process that
(07:13):
threw up for you, as I said, from retail associations,
from the police, new and better ways to protect the public,
keep the community. So so that consultation piece was probably
the most vergual part of how we arrived at while
we arrived here in say.
Speaker 1 (07:26):
Thanks for joining us, no problem whatsoever. After meeting with
Australian counterparts last year, Police Minister Mark Mitchell raised concerns
about increased levels of knife violence overseas with police here.
(07:51):
He had asked police for advice on the matter and
was pleased to find out they were working on a
strategy to address it. I just want to make sure
we are proactive and we do all that we can
as a country to make sure that we don't end
up in a situation like that, he said. But no
such strategy exists. Police are only monitoring, keeping a close
(08:13):
eye on what's happening overseas and will continue to closely
monitor this. To chat about this, we speak with Acting
Deputy Commissioner Mike Pennett. So after our police minister visited
Australia last year, he raised concerns about increased levels of
(08:33):
knife crime overseas with police, he apparently was welcoming a
strategy to address it. He told The Herald at the time.
I just want to make sure that we're proactive and
we do all that we can as a country to
make sure that we don't end up in a situation
like that and like that, I mean the Bondi incident
in Sydney. Now has there been any work underway on
(08:56):
a national knife crime strategy?
Speaker 2 (08:58):
So be working around knife crime and constantly keeping the
Minister's office and our partner agents has performed for what
the current position of knife crime is. By that, I'm
referring to our reported offending involving life crime, but also
what our staff on the street seeing, what having you start,
whatever events staff is seeing, and also feedback from the.
Speaker 1 (09:20):
Community what are staff seeing on the street.
Speaker 2 (09:23):
So statistically wise, our life crime figures are actually relatively
stable and have been over the last five years, but
anincdobally we are very closely monitoring areas that have increased
a little bit, and we're booking some of the city centers,
particularly Auckland City Center, some of our provinces and in
particular maybe a Hastings Hawks Bay area where we have
(09:45):
seen us slight upturn in knife crime, but also noting
the presence of knives and a number of robberies, and
that's something that's probably gained chealthy and that we are
seeing probably the emergence of knives slow the settings larger
weapons being used in robberies. So we're very closely one
and three that right.
Speaker 1 (10:05):
So there hasn't been any noticeable increase in NFE crime
in New Zealand. What does that data look like?
Speaker 2 (10:11):
So at this stage we're just looking at our figures.
We have had overall the consistency two in numbers. We're
not seeing a huge increase in the national picture. But
what we are probably acutely aware of is the exposure
to a lot of our youth to the online platforms
(10:31):
and social media that have another countries encouraged the carriage
of knives and use of knives, and we are staying
very connected to that. One of the initiatives that we
have done, particularly with our be team stutying and often
willing to equ is making them aware of the situation
and monitoring on the streets our high risk areas in
(10:53):
the central cities. Yeah.
Speaker 5 (11:02):
Look, I mean incredibly sad and just shocked, to be honest,
and just thoughts are really with the family of the
of the victim because you know, you know, they were
just going about their everyday life, and you know, there
could have been anyone in New Zealand. And I think
that's why our New Zealanders will feel pretty confronted by
by by this issue in this incident, because you know,
there was someone trying to go about their daily life
(11:24):
and and and lost their life, and that shouldn't happen
in New Zealand. So you know, there's and I'm obviously
an ongoing investigation. I can't talk too much about the
specifics of that, but suffice to say, you know, we
need to we need to think again about what more
we can be doing.
Speaker 1 (11:41):
All right, So what are we seeing on online? Is
that the likes of tektok or something.
Speaker 2 (11:45):
Yeah, so I think globally, and you've referenced it before,
some of the Australian jurisdictions and the UK, for example,
have had challenges with increased nighte crime and increased nine use.
That's something we don't want to see happening. In New Zealand.
Our police officers every day put the cyber or stab
resistant on to go out and do their job. It's
(12:07):
a cost reminder of knife crime, but it's also a
cost reminder of the fact that we want to keep
our seat stape, we want to keep our community scape
and produce reduced victims of knife crime.
Speaker 1 (12:19):
So there hasn't been any noticeable increase in South Australia either,
I'm sure you've seen, but they've decided to bring in
the toughest knife laws in the country, things like giving
police greater powers to conduct wanding searchers at shopping centers
and public transport, hubs and vehicles. And it also means
shops would need to keep knives securely locked up. Should
(12:41):
we look at similar laws here?
Speaker 2 (12:43):
I think that's part of what we're constantly looking at
as and there's the two lens for that one. Firstly,
it's around the reaction or how we police an increased
use of life crime. You know, it's something some of
the Australian europe have really experienced a lot more than
(13:04):
New Zealand. But the ability to stop and search, the
ability to warn, and the increase powers of search are
something that they've moved towards. We are fortunate the States
and that our statistic powers allow us to search under
certain conditions and that the stages is working for us.
Speaker 6 (13:26):
Police said this man was a known threat and had
been since twenty sixteen, which is why up until now
had been under constant surveillance. It appairs all countdown and
pharmacy staff have been evacuated. They were locked down in
the mall here for quite some time.
Speaker 3 (13:42):
There's still a heavy.
Speaker 6 (13:43):
Police presence here. You can probably hear the Eagle helicopter
overhead now and it looks like police will remain here
for some time as they try to piece together just
what happened.
Speaker 1 (13:57):
So New Zealand hasn't been immune to knife chrome though.
I'm of course thinking about the Newlyn terror attack when
an Islamic State supporter stabbed five shoppers in a frenzied
attack before being shot dead at the Newlyn countdown in
September twenty twenty one. He took a knife off the
supermarket shelf, and just months before, four people were stabbed
(14:17):
at a countdown in Dunedin. So despite not seeing a
significant uptech in knife crime like others overseas have, we
haven't been immune. So shouldn't we be ahead of the curve.
Speaker 2 (14:29):
Look, we are certainly working with retailers, we're certainly working
with other agencies to make sure that we are aware
of the dynamics of knife crime, but how lives can
be used not only for terrorist events, but four attacks
in the public places, crowded plases. We have a crowded
places strategy in New Zialm which very much addresses the
potential for a knife crime or a life attack. It's
(14:52):
something that we are constantly monitoring. Museum Police has an
evidence based policing capability that looks at their wild best
practiced and informs us at two and we can go
through legislators that we need to address life clime or change.
Speaker 1 (15:06):
In the law right, but that's just not anytime soon.
Speaker 2 (15:09):
Well, we'll constant model dev situation in the community and
on the streets, and if we see that change environment,
that rap tage, we will certainly be flagging it up
and looking to addresser.
Speaker 1 (15:20):
Thanks for joining us, Thank you, Chelsea. That's it for
this episode of the Front Page. You can read more
about today's stories and extensive news coverage at NZDHERLD, dot
co dot MZ. The Front Page is produced by Ethan
Sills and Richard Martin, who is also our sound engineer.
(15:43):
I'm Chelsea Daniels. Subscribe to The Front Page on iHeartRadio
or where do you get your podcasts, and tune in
tomorrow for another look behind the headlines.
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