This omnibus bill introduces new offences and grants additional Police powers directed at gangs, with the stated aim of improving public confidence in law and order.
Parliament advanced this bill under urgency (first reading) — moving it through faster than usual, with less time than normal for public submissions.
These are claims MPs made in Parliament’s debate — not verified facts.
This omnibus bill (one law amending several statutes) aims to curb gang activity and lift public confidence in law and order by creating new criminal offences and giving Police extra tools. Its headline measure makes it an offence to display gang insignia — patches and other identifying symbols — in public places. It also gives Police dispersal powers to break up gang gatherings, allows courts to issue non-consorting orders stopping named gang members from associating for up to three years, and makes gang membership an aggravating factor at sentencing. It mainly affects gang members and their associates, and the Police who enforce the rules.
It stems from a National-led coalition commitment and a long-standing promise to ban gang patches, echoing an earlier Whanganui insignia ban. Supporters argue visible gang symbols intimidate communities, and that removing them and disrupting gatherings improves safety and public confidence. Critics counter that the measures curb freedom of expression and association, are hard to police, may simply displace offending, and will fall disproportionately on Māori, who are over-represented in gang membership.
See the Parliament.nz ↗ site for the full bill.