Crime & Justice · Party position

National on Crime & Justice

Tougher sentences, more policing, cracking down on gangs

National says it has already cut violent crime, ram raids, and serious youth offending since taking office. It has banned gang patches in public and given police new powers to deal with gangs. It has brought back tougher sentencing rules, including Three Strikes, and capped how much sentences can be reduced. It says it is investing $1.3 billion more in policing and corrections, and has a plan to tackle methamphetamine harm.

What they say they've done

Reduced violent crime — 49,000 fewer victims than when they came into government
Reduced ram raids by 85% and serious youth offending by 16%
Banned gang patches in public and gave police non-consorting and dispersal order powers
Restored Three Strikes and capped sentence discounts at 40%
Will change the law so sexual consent must be actively given
Will abolish good character assessments at sentencing for all sexual offending

Who this affects

Victims of violent crime

National says tougher policing and sentencing measures have resulted in fewer New Zealanders becoming victims of violent crime since it took office.

Gang members

Police now have powers to issue non-consorting and dispersal orders, and gang patches are banned in public spaces.

Survivors of sexual violence

Under proposed changes, sexual consent would need to be actively given, and judges would be prohibited from treating an offender's good character as a reason for a lighter sentence in sexual offending cases.

People accused of crimes

Sentence discounts are capped at 40%, and the early guilty plea discount is capped at 25%, meaning less reduction from maximum sentences than was previously possible.

In their own words

“Reduced violent crime with 49,000 fewer victims than when we came into Government.”

“Banned gang patches in public.Given Police the power to issue non-consorting and dispersal orders.”

Verify at National — Law and Order (national.org.nz/lawandorder)

Summarised neutrally from National’s own official policy (as at 2026-09-09) and checked by an editor. Nothing is paraphrased without the source linked. Read the original ↗ Arapono is non-partisan. Compare all parties on Crime & Justice →

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