The Prime Minister says increasing sanctions for people who assault first responders makes sense.
The bill proposes new offences for assaulting or injuring police, corrections, ambulance and fire officers with intent – a New Zealand First policy.
The new offence of assaulting a first responder with intent to injure would mean up to five years in prison – two years higher than the standard offence – while injuring them with intent would carry a sentence of up to seven years and counts against the three strikes regime which can impose mandatory minimum sentences.
Christopher Luxon told Morning Report it was a sensible move.
“We’ve got some really hardworking police officers and firefighters and paramedics and prison officers and they tend to run towards the danger and give help to their fellow Kiwis when it’s most needed and what they don’t need is someone assaulting or bashing them.
“If you’re going to assault first responders that’s utterly unacceptable in New Zealand so there’s going to be some serious consequences for it.”
Luxon said the sentence would be longer than for the standard offence.
“We’ve got a series of three, five and seven years depending upon the nature of the offence and I just think you know anyone would just say that makes perfect sense, there’s been an increasing trend of assaults on Corrections staff, police officers and first responders and you know that’s going to stop.”
That crime needs to have serious consequences and the victims need to be protected, he said.
RNZ
