Pursuing legislation to impose banning orders: Justice Minister reveals new details

Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith
Photograph: RNZ / REECE BAKER

• If the new law is passed, stalking will be made illegal and punishable by up to five years in prison.
• Courts may issue restraining orders and harmful digital communication orders for persistent harassment
• With two new aggravating factors coming into play, being caught stalking could lead to longer sentences for other crimes as well

New details have emerged about planned changes that will make stalking illegal, with offenders facing up to five years in prison.

Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith said in a statement that the change to the law would include behavior such as recording, stalking, stalking or loitering around someone.

Three of these activities within 12 months can lead to conviction.

Goldsmith said the changes will also include four other tracking-related changes.

This means courts can impose restraining orders and harmful digital communications orders at sentencing for those convicted of stalking.

Two new aggravating factors will be introduced, linked to persistent stalking that extends the sentences of deviants convicted of other crimes.

The definition of psychological violence in the Domestic Violence Law will also be clarified to include the issue of stalking.

Finally, those convicted of stalking will also be disqualified from having a firearm licence.

Goldsmith said every New Zealander deserved to feel safe in their community and the government was committed to ensuring victims were at the center of the justice system.

“The public is clearly concerned about stalking and we are moving quickly to introduce a new stalking and harassment offense as part of our plan to restore law and order,” he said.

“This comes as part of the Government’s commitment to deliver a 20,000 reduction in the number of victims of serious violent crime by 2029 and delivers on the promises we made in our Q4 Action Plan.”

In June it pledged to introduce such legislation by the end of 2024, having previously pledged to do so only before the next election.

A member’s bill introduced by Labour’s Ginny Andersen would also make the crime of stalking punishable by up to five years in prison. It would also point out aspects of domestic violence that could constitute stalking.

Prepared after death 21-year-old Farzana Yaqubi In December 2022, after weeks of being threatened and stalked, including messages from her attacker threatening to throw acid in her face.

Earlier in the month of his death, he had complained to the police via the 105 reporting system and made an official statement, but no progress had been made in his complaint.

However, the bill remains in the parliament’s biscuit box to be discussed.

a petition signed by almost 8000 people A petition was also introduced to Parliament urging it to criminalize stalking Goldsmith.

He promised to review stalking legislation before last year’s election.