8692 (2025). Hon Dr Duncan Webb to the Minister of Justice

8692 (2025). Hon Dr Duncan Webb to the Minister of Justice: Is "unlawful entry with intent/Burglary, break and enter" a violent crime in terms of the government's target to reduce violent crime; if not why was it included in a press release claiming reductions in violent crime?

Hon Paul Goldsmith: No, “unlawful entry with intent/Burglary, break and enter” is not included in the Government's target to reduce violent crime. Nor is it explicitly included as a violent offence in the New Zealand Crime and Victim Survey (the Government’s measure for the violent crime target). The Press release issued by myself and Hon Mark Mitchell on 25 February 2025 noted a reduction in violent crime but also cited ‘a raft of other Police statistics’ including shifts in total victimisations and the number of Police foot patrols. The Government’s Action Plan to Reduce Violent Crime is being implemented within a broader context of offending patterns and measures designed to reduce offending in New Zealand.