Bernie Wanden: Horowhenua mayor hopeful new Government measures will crack down on boy racers

There's hopes that tougher penalties for boy racers and fleeing drivers will do the trick. 

The Government's establishing a presumptive sentence of vehicle destruction for street racers, those who flee police, and intimidating convoys. 

Police will also get greater powers to manage illegal vehicle gatherings by closing roads or public areas. 

Horowhenua mayor Bernie Wanden has voiced support for these new measures.

"Hopefully, this sort of implementation of this sort of policy will be a deterrent for them all."

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Now on another subject, was announced yesterday that police are
going to get more powers to crack down on boy races,
including the ability to destroy more vehicles. A new government
bill includes a presumptive sentence for vehicle destruction or forfeiture
for drivers who flee police. Now, Bernie Wandon is the
hard Offen wo A district mayor, and he's with us. Hey, Bernie,
good afternoon. You hear that you pleased to see this?

Speaker 2 (00:21):
Definitely, yes, can't come soon enough.

Speaker 1 (00:24):
Is it still happening in your part of town?

Speaker 2 (00:27):
Look, it hasn't happened since our major event. We've had
a couple of smaller events, but it's nearly a year
ago since our major event, and we certainly don't want
to see it back again. And hopefully this sort of,
you know, implementation of this sort of policy will be
a deterrent for them all.

Speaker 1 (00:46):
The major event was that the ones where they were
encroaching on the cops and the cops were having bottles
thrown at them and stuff like that.

Speaker 2 (00:53):
That's right, the police were underprepared basically for what was
going to happen. I think police have made great strides
since then ensuring that they've got resources and ability to
be able to defend themselves and make sure and disperse
these people.

Speaker 1 (01:10):
How do you think this is going to work, Burnie?
Are they going to are the cops going to rock
up right down license plates and chase these people afterwards,
or do they have to actually seize the vehicle on
the spot.

Speaker 2 (01:20):
What I like about a lot of this sort of
policy is the fact that they will try and stop
things from happening right from the start. So I would
imagine that there will be if they're aware of convoys
coming into different towns, they'll be able to stop them.
So hopefully the prevention will actually be a big part

(01:41):
of the whole policy.

Speaker 1 (01:43):
Yeah, but the bit that I'm interested in is crushing
the cars on the first warning. Now do you think
that would be enough to deter me from doing boy
racy stuff? But do you think it will determ them?
Because I mean, this must be their hobby.

Speaker 2 (01:54):
Well, it is their hobby and unfortunately, look the car enthurs. Yes, yes,
it will deter them. It's the if you like the
idiots that still want to challenge police, challenge social norms
and do what you know is against the you know,
the policy, and that's the worrying bit that it may

(02:15):
well not stop those, but I think once it's done once,
hopefully that'll send the strong message that it won't happen again.

Speaker 1 (02:22):
Brilliant stuff, Hey, Bernie, thank you very much appreciated, as
Bernie wondered what if? Who is math? For more from
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