How is New Zealand responding to the threat of knife crime?

New Zealand Police continue to monitor knife crime trends worldwide while other jurisdictions introduce tough new laws, getting ahead of the curve before it’s too late.

What they’re monitoring is reported offending involving knife crime – the likes of serious assaults and aggravated robberies.

Between December 2023 and December 2024, there were 1,639 incidents involving a stabbing or cutting weapon – a 1.7% decrease from the year before.

But, while New Zealand has not seen attacks like the Bondi Junction attack in Sydney, it hasn’t been immune, with notable individual attacks and mass events like the New Lynn mall attack. 

South Australia hasn’t seen spikes in knife crime either, but that hasn’t stopped the state introducing the toughest knife laws in the country.

Today on The Front Page, we’re joined by South Australian Attorney-General Kyam Maher to talk through the state’s decision and what advice he’d give New Zealand lawmakers.

And later, acting Deputy Commissioner Mike Pannett is with us to chat about what police are doing to prevent knife crime here.

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You can read more about this and other stories in the New Zealand Herald, online at nzherald.co.nz, or tune in to news bulletins across the NZME network.

Host: Chelsea Daniels
Sound Engineer/Producer: Richard Martin
Producer: Ethan Sills

 

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