- Hon Paul Goldsmith
The Government is introducing new offences to ensure those who assault on-duty first responders or prison officers spend longer in prison, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says.
"Where others may flee, first responders and prison officers run towards danger to help those who need urgent assistance.
"Assaulting them puts multiple lives at risk, so there must be greater consequences for these heinous acts of violence. Our hardworking police officers, firefighters, paramedics and prison officers deserve better."
Under these proposed offences:
- Assaulting a first responder or prison officer will have a maximum sentence of three years imprisonment. This expands an existing provision on assaulting Police to cover all first responders and prison officers.
- Assaulting a first responder or prison officer with intent to injure will have a maximum sentence of five years imprisonment. This is a two-year increase in penalty from the standard offence.
- Injuring a first responder or prison officer with intent to injure will have a maximum sentence of seven years' imprisonment and will be added to Three Strikes to ensure mandatory minimum sentences in line with that regime. This is also a two-year increase in penalty from the standard offence.
"This builds on our sentencing reforms which came into affect today, and is another way we will denounce violence in New Zealand," Mr Goldsmith says.
"It fulfils a commitment in the National/New Zealand First coalition agreement, to introduce the Protection for First Responders and Prison Officers legislation to create a specific offence for assaults on first responders which includes minimum mandatory prison sentences.
"We promised to restore real consequences for crime. That's exactly what we're delivering. It's all part of our plan to restore law and order, which we know is working."
