Eleanor Thompson Defence of property, citizen’s arrest powers, tougher shoplifting consequences and new move-on orders are delivering stronger consequences for offenders while protecting victims, retailers and communities across Aotearoa.
By Eleanor Thompson
Managing Editor
Zealandia News
May 26, 2026 — WELLINGTON
New Zealand’s most significant law and order reform programme in a generation has drawn praise from ethnic media outlets, with both Gujarati and Punjabi publications covering the Government’s comprehensive overhaul of criminal justice powers in their respective community languages.
The coverage, described by officials as a landmark moment for ethnic media engagement, highlights the practical and long-lasting reforms developed by the Ministerial Advisory Group, which include expanded defence of property rights, strengthened citizen’s arrest powers, tougher consequences for shoplifting, stronger trespass laws, and new move-on orders to address anti-social behaviour.
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith said the ethnic media features demonstrated the breadth of community support for the Government’s law and order agenda. “Victims are our priority, not offenders,” Goldsmith said. “These reforms are already delivering real results.”
A Comprehensive Reform Package
The legislative overhaul spans multiple fronts. The Crimes Amendment Bill, introduced in December 2025 and currently before Parliament, contains several key provisions designed to give citizens, retailers and police additional tools to combat crime and anti-social behaviour .
Under the proposed changes, citizens will be empowered to intervene to stop any Crimes Act offence at any time of the day, closing a gap in the previous law that limited such intervention to night-time hours . A person making an arrest must contact police and follow their instructions, and reasonable restraints may be used when making an arrest .
The defence of property provisions have also been clarified to make clear that reasonable force may be used when protecting property from trespassers or those attempting to take it . The changes aim to remove confusion that existed under previous law, where a strict reading suggested that even proportionate pushing and shoving might be impermissible while case law indicated otherwise .
For retailers, a new shoplifting infringement regime has been introduced specifically to address the retail crime challenges facing businesses across the country . The Government has also strengthened trespass laws to provide clearer protections for businesses and property owners.
Move-On Orders Target Anti-Social Behaviour
One of the most visible changes has been the introduction of police move-on orders, which allow officers to direct individuals displaying disorderly, disruptive, threatening or intimidating behaviour to leave a specified area for up to 24 hours .
The new powers, which also cover begging in all forms and rough sleeping, have been designed to give police the ability to intervene before aggressive behaviour escalates . Police have told the Government they previously had limited tools to address situations where no crime had yet been committed but public safety was at risk .
Restore Rotorua chairman Trevor Newbrook welcomed the move-on legislation, saying it was a step towards making towns and cities safer and less intimidating. “Everyone should feel safe to walk the streets of our town without being harassed or intimidated,” he said .
Reaffirming Police Powers
Alongside citizen-focused reforms, the Government has introduced legislation to reaffirm police powers to record images and sounds in public places and some private places, following a Supreme Court decision that had constrained police ability to collect evidence .
Police Minister Mark Mitchell said the Supreme Court ruling had created uncertainty and made the collection of evidence, and therefore the prosecution of criminals, much harder. The new legislation makes clear that police can collect and use images for lawful policing purposes, including intelligence gathering and crime prevention .
The Government is also expanding police temporary road closure powers to cover a broader range of areas, including parks, reserves, beaches, and carparks. The changes give police new tools to manage non-compliance, including the power to direct people to leave closed areas and arrest without warrant those who fail to comply .
Measurable Results
The Government has set a target of 20,000 fewer victims of violent crime. New Zealand is now seeing around 49,000 fewer victims, according to the latest Crime and Victims Survey .
Data from the survey, which covers the year to October 2025, shows the number of violent crime victims has reduced to 136,000, a significant decrease from previous years . Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has acknowledged that number remains too high, but said the Government is committed to reducing it further by locking up the people who create multiple victims .
The Government attributes the drop to its tough-on-crime approach, which has included updating the sentencing regime to imprison those causing the most harm for longer, equipping police with tools to handle gangs, ceasing taxpayer funding for the proliferation of cultural reports, making stalking an illegal and jailable offence, empowering sexual assault victims, and restoring the three-strikes law .
Industry Concerns and Safeguards
Not all sectors have embraced the changes without reservation. Retail NZ chief executive Carolyn Young has expressed serious concerns that the expanded citizen’s arrest laws could put New Zealanders at unacceptable risk of harm .
“It would mean anyone could perform a citizen’s arrest and use restraints on another person,” Young said. “There would be no age restrictions, so it would include children, and would apply to any perceived offence – for example, taking a bottle of water” .
The majority of Retail NZ members hold serious concerns that the laws risk creating an environment where offenders proactively arm themselves in the wake of these changes, heightening the risk of serious injury or death to retail staff and bystanders .
Ministry of Justice officials have also cautioned that extending arrest powers carries risks, including potential escalation of violence, displacement of offending to more vulnerable locations, and inappropriate use of arrest and detention powers . The Ministry has recommended a more targeted approach than the Government ultimately adopted .
Community Support
Despite these concerns, the reforms have drawn significant community support, particularly from retail and business owners who have long argued that the previous legal framework left them unable to protect their property and staff.
The coverage in Gujarati and Punjabi ethnic media has been particularly significant, ensuring that New Zealand’s diverse communities understand the legal tools now available to them. The features highlighted the practical nature of the reforms, including defence of property powers, citizen’s arrest rights, tougher shoplifting consequences, strengthened trespass laws, and the new move-on orders.
Looking Ahead
The legislative package continues to make its way through Parliament. The Policing Amendment Bill, which addresses police powers, has been introduced and referred to select committee with a report back deadline of July 27 . The Crimes Amendment Bill remains before the Justice Committee, which has been hearing submissions .
Credit for the reforms has been directed to the Luxon Government for ending what officials describe as the culture of “do nothing” on crime and taking decisive action to restore law and order. As the Government has highlighted, the focus remains on reducing victim numbers further.
Goldsmith has acknowledged that reducing the remaining number of crime victims will continue to be hard work. “The obvious place to start reducing it is with locking up the people who create multiple victims,” he said .
In Brief
New Zealand’s comprehensive law and order reform programme, described as one of the biggest in the country’s history, has been covered by Gujarati and Punjabi ethnic media in their respective community languages. The reforms include expanded defence of property rights, strengthened citizen’s arrest powers, tougher shoplifting consequences, stronger trespass laws, and new police move-on orders to address anti-social behaviour. The Government has reported significant progress, with around 49,000 fewer victims of violent crime against a target of 20,000. While the reforms have drawn some concern from Retail NZ and Ministry of Justice officials over potential risks, community support has been substantial, with business owners welcoming the additional tools to protect their livelihoods.
