This open letter was originally published in New Zealand Herald and was written in collaboration with Heart of the City, Newmarket Business Association, Ponsonby Business Association and Takapuna Business Association.
Dear Prime Minister,
Two years ago we wrote to the Prime Minister asking for a co-ordinated, cross-government approach to deal with a stark and confronting rise in crime and anti-social behaviour in our city and town centres.
We asked for:
- Increased police resourcing and presence on the street
- Better management of emergency housing
- Services for mental health and addiction
Crime is worse now.
We have seen limited direct action in response to our request, and what has been delivered in additional police resources is insufficient to manage the scale of the situation. We continue to experience brazen crime and damage to property in our precincts. Precious police resources are taken up with police expected to deal with issues that need to be managed by specialists from other agencies. This simply cannot continue.
Although we acknowledge there are new initiatives to deal with crime, our basic request remains the same. While we are doing everything we can with police, and others locally, to support our businesses and create a safe place for their customers, staff and suppliers, we need:
- More police on the street, doing police work—the landscape has changed and police numbers must increase substantially.
- People with mental health and addiction needs getting support from the agencies best equipped to meet their needs—not the police.
- Improved co-ordination and management of emergency housing.
Please bring quick, decisive action to keep our city and town centres safe and appealing for locals and visitors—day and night.
Yours sincerely,
Viv Beck
HEART OF THE CITY
Mark Knoff-Thomas
NEWMARKET BUSINESS ASSOCIATION
Cheryl Adamson
PARNELL BUSINESS ASSOCIATION
Viv Rosenberg
PONSONBY BUSINESS ASSOCIATION
Terence Harpur
TAKAPUNA BUSINESS ASSOCIATION
