Sunny Kaushal: Retail Crime Ministerial Advisory Group Chair says retailers are excited over law changes

There's excitement over expected changes to the way authorities deal with retail crime. 

Newstalk ZB understands Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith will be confirming shoplifting policy changes this week, relating to Retail Crime Ministerial Advisory Group recommendations. 

Group Chair Sunny Kaushal told Mike Hosking that the announcements are ones retailers across the country have been screaming out for. 

Kaushal says offenders believe police won't respond and the courts will let them go, so they're working to stop this sense of impunity.  

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
So crime looks to be a focus this week. We'll
get to the first responders in the moment, but first
the government will be announcing changes the laws around shoplifting
and theft comes off the back of recommendations from the
Retail Crime and Sterial Advisory Group. The chair of that group,
of course, is Sunny Kochel, who's back with the Sunday Morning.

Speaker 2 (00:14):
Very good morning to your Mike.

Speaker 1 (00:16):
Do you know what's coming?

Speaker 2 (00:18):
Well, Mike, we have already delivered three final reports to
the government and the first one was on citizens arress,
which to be announced in March. And I would love
to tell you more about the other two reports, but
those are confidential until the government seasons are announced. But
I'm really excited about what we will be announcing tomorrow.
For too long and the criminals have felt they're untouchable

(00:42):
and that's going to change.

Speaker 1 (00:44):
And also the government of moving in the right direction
as far as you're concerned.

Speaker 2 (00:49):
It is, Mike, the retail crime is costing New Zealand
over two point eight billion dollars, which is over fifty
million dollars per week, which is over seven million million
dollars per day. This retail crime, Jenny, we need to
put back into the bottle and we need to create
a zero tolerance response.

Speaker 1 (01:09):
I think last since last time we talked, we've had
that business of the police not responding or claimed not
to respond to anything under five hundred dollars. Is that
being sorted out or has been sorted out to your satisfaction.

Speaker 2 (01:21):
It was sorted out very quickly thanks to the leadership
of the Police Minister and also the Police Commissioner, and
that was turned around very quickly, and also on the reports, Michael.
Over the rest of the year, we will look to
finalize another four further reports and this includes a report
on facial recogition technology and a great powers for security

(01:44):
guard which the Minister has talked about publicly. So I'm
really excited. What're we go going to announced tomorrow and
I'm sure you and the listeners will be too. You know,
these are the changes retailersts across the country has been
screaming out for good.

Speaker 1 (01:58):
There will be more powerful retailers coming in some way,
shape or form other tomorrow before the end of the year,
because that's what you've wanted, isn't it.

Speaker 2 (02:05):
Look I mean, at the end of the day, you know,
retailers they have been frusted for so long. You know,
the biggest challenge we face is a perception by criminals
that they're untouchable, that there are no consequences for their actions,
that police won't respond, and that even if they do
that the courts will let them go. So this sense
of impunity harms us. All this need to stop, and

(02:28):
that's the work that we're doing.

Speaker 1 (02:30):
Good stop, NOAs to catch up. We'll look forward to
tomorrow Sunnykoschiel, who's the chair of that Retail Crimeate Ministerial
Advisory Group. For more from the mic Asking Breakfast, listen
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