Simon Court MP, ACT – Under-Secretary for Infrastructure and RMA Reform, and Civil Engineer
Once upon a time, New Zealand’s approach to youth crime was little more than tag and release. A young offender could ram-raid a shop on Friday, be back on the street by Saturday, and repeat the cycle by Sunday. It was a revolving door that left shopkeepers, families, and entire communities paying the price.
For too long, offenders knew the system was soft. Victims were forgotten, and communities felt abandoned.
But things are changing, and fast. Thanks to the hard work of Police and the leadership of ACT’s Minister for Children, Karen Chhour, we’re seeing a remarkable turnaround.
Serious and persistent youth offending is down 14.6 percent compared to June 2023. Ram raids are falling. Repeat offending is dropping. Communities up and down the country are beginning to feel safer again.
This isn’t by accident. It’s because ACT’s relentless focus on fixing what matters across all areas of Government.
At Oranga Tamariki facilities, Karen Chhour has ensured the basics are finally in place. Locks actually work. Staff wear uniforms. And if a young offender climbs onto the roof, they don’t get rewarded with a bucket of KFC anymore.
These might sound like small changes, but they’re changing the culture inside youth justice facilities.
Karen has also ensured support is there for at-risk young people by directing investment into upskilling the social worker workforce. This will mean staff are better prepared to guide young people back onto the right path. More than $103 million over four years is being invested into upgrading youth justice residences and funding initiatives to reduce reoffending.
These improvements are about both security and rehabilitation: making sure facilities are safe for staff and the community, while giving young offenders the tools to turn their lives around.
On the front line, Police deserve real credit too. More officers on the beat mean more visibility, quicker responses, and stronger deterrence.
Ram raids, which once dominated the headlines, are becoming the exception instead of the expectation.
And there’s more to come. The wider roll-out of Military-Style Academies for the worst offenders is on its way. These academies will provide discipline, structure, and training – exactly what’s needed to stop a teenager from graduating to a lifetime of crime. They will take the most persistent offenders out of communities, give them routine, and show them that actions come with responsibilities. That’s how you break the cycle.
Of course, if we’re serious about preventing crime in the long run, we need to start even earlier. That’s where my colleague David Seymour is making real progress.
As Associate Education Minister, David has overseen the rise in school attendance to pre-Covid levels. In Term 2 this year, nearly 60 percent of students attended school regularly, up more than 11 percentage points compared with 2023. Chronic absence is also falling.
Why does this matter for crime? Because kids who are in school are less likely to be on the streets causing trouble. They’re learning, building connections, and preparing for a future that doesn’t involve the justice system. Attendance is the first step toward better life outcomes and ultimately, safer communities.
Karen is fixing Oranga Tamariki, Police are tackling crime head-on, and David Seymour is lifting school attendance. Together, these changes add up to safer communities and better futures for our young people.
For the small business owner who’s had enough of replacing their shopfront window. For the parents who want their kids safe when walking home after sport practice. For the victims who deserve justice instead of excuses. These changes matter
