Tamati Coffey Labour List MP

As we head into the holiday season, I want to let you know that making sure Rotorua communities are safe places to live, work and raise a family is a top priority for me. As a Government, we've been focused on getting under the problems that cause crime as well as making sure firm consequences are in place.

Youth offending has been trending down for the past few years, but the recent spike that we've seen in ram raids is really worrying. It's upsetting for communities and creates victims. Clearly more needed to be done.

That's why the Government has announced a package of practical measures to tackle retail crime, alongside new initiatives to partner with small businesses and local councils.

It includes a new fog cannon subsidy scheme, which will be open to all small shops and dairies in New Zealand. And we've extended the Retail Crime Prevention Fund to help businesses that have been the victim of an aggravated robbery, or a ram raid, to access better security measures, like CCTV systems, shatter-proof glass and bollards.

We've also made funding available to local councils where this kind of crime is prevalent – in Auckland, Hamilton and the Bay of Plenty area – matching them dollar-for-dollar to help fund better crime prevention measures that they see working for their local communities. That's good news for Rotorua!

Together, all these things make this the most significant crime prevention financial package in recent memory and they add to the measures this Government is already taking to combat crime and keep people here in Rotorua safe.

So I want to wish you and your whanau a safe happy and enjoyable Christmas! From my family to yours, Merry Christmas!