Paul Goldsmith: Justice Minister on the Government making 'coward punches' a specific offense

The Justice Minister's confirmed the Government aims to send a clear message to offenders as part of the latest legislation. 

The Government recently announced 'coward punches' will be treated as a new offence, giving offenders longer sentences.

The reform makes good on a National and NZ First coalition promise.

Paul Goldsmith says the Government's hoping to disincentivise these 'unacceptable' attacks.  

"We're going to send a very strong message from Parliament to the judiciary - that we expect serious consequences for serious crime."

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Afternoon. The government is on a law and order roll
this afternoon it's announced coward punches will be made a
specific offense to make sure that perpetrators get punished more harshly,
so if a victim dies following the attack, the maximum
penalty is life imprisonment and new offenses will be added
to the three strikes regiment. Of course, earlier tougher penalties
were announced for anyone who attacks first responders. Paul Goldsmith

(00:20):
is the Justice Minister and.

Speaker 2 (00:22):
With us, Hey Paul, Hi, Heather, how are you going?

Speaker 1 (00:25):
Very well? Thank you? What's brought on the coward punch changes?

Speaker 2 (00:29):
Ah? Well, Look, something that's been part of the New
Zealand First National Coalition and has been a real concern
for a lot of people for a long time that
there's these people are just coming in with a king
hit from the back, causing mayhem and changing people's lives forever,
and we want to send a stronger signal that that's

(00:49):
absolutely not accepted and we'll have real harsh consequences.

Speaker 1 (00:53):
Do you think it will disinvent incentivize somebody who is
I don't know, let's say, on the terps feeling got
their blood up and wanting to punch someone.

Speaker 2 (01:02):
Well, look, I mean that's a sort of an age
old sort of justice debate, and people in the heat
of the moment do stupid things and don't think about
the consequences. But sort of more broadly, it's a bit
like water on a stone. Society ever sends a message
that oh, look, we'll come up with excuses for crime
and we'll sort of find every way to avoid sheeting

(01:26):
home responsibility, or we can send a different message, and
that's what this government has been sending consistently, one which
is there are real consequences for crime. We are going
to make people accountable and we're going to send a
very strong message from Parliament to the judiciary that we
expect serious consequences for serious crime. And so that's what

(01:46):
the sentencing reform is about, limiting the amount of discretion
that judges have to reduce sentences right across the board.
It's what three strikes is about. And then what we've
done here would send a single around an extra year
for the cowards punch over on top of the current
sentencing and likewise for the first responder, sending that clear message.

Speaker 1 (02:12):
On the first responders. Labors Duncan weggs Web says you
already get a longer sentence if you attack a first responder.

Speaker 2 (02:20):
Well, at the moment, it's what's called an aggravating factor
and sentencing, and we wanted to go one step further
and that say well, actually, you know, we're going to
lift the maximum sentence a couple of years for it.

Speaker 1 (02:30):
Would it have the same practical outcome? Would it be
different than Harsher?

Speaker 2 (02:33):
Oh no, it's just taking up another notch. And you
know so Parliament sent a signal before in relation to
police that it's an aggravating factor when it comes to sentencing,
and we were taking it up another notch now, which
is to say, well, actually more than that. Actually we
want to increase the maximum penalty to send even more
powerful message. And we're also including the ambulance drivers and

(02:54):
firefighters and also corrections officers because these are the people
that go forward to danger in society and they should
be treated with absolute respect, not beaten up.

Speaker 1 (03:05):
Paul, Thank you very much, appreciate it, Paul Goldsmith, Justice Minister.
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