Catholic body says change retail crime, citizen’s arrest proposals

The commission made a submission to Parliament’s Justice Committee, which is considering the Crimes Amendment Bill. The omnibus bill covers several areas, one of which concerns retail crime. It aims to simplify the theft offence and amend the monetary thresholds and penalties.

The Bill also extends citizen’s arrest powers to cover any offence under the Crimes Act. Citizen’s arrest is currently restricted to serious crimes or offences taking place at night.

The Justice and Peace Commission’s submission recognised there is real harm to retailers and workers and the need for timely consequences.

But it called on MPs to refine the retail crime and citizen’s arrest provisions of the Bill “to ensure proportionality, restorative pathways, and peace-building consistent with [Catholic Social Teaching] and the New Zealand Catholic bishops’ longstanding advocacy for restorative justice”.

The retail crime provisions should include diversion, treatment referrals, restitution and restorative justice options to avoid settings that entrench poverty and youth offending, the submission stated.

“. . . [P]roportionality and human development also argue for an infringement regime that presumes diversion, that requires treatment referrals to addiction and mental health, and seeks restitution-first options, alongside means-tested fines that will deter harm without deepening poverty, stigmatisation or youth criminalisation”.

Such measures would “better advance the common good than punitive escalation alone”.

Concerning broadening the citizen’s arrest rules, the commission recommended “tight statutory limits, de-escalation duties, compulsory guidance and training for retailers and security, alongside robust reporting and oversight to protect dignity and prevent violence”.

The commission called for an independent evaluation of the citizen’s arrest law changes within 12-24 months after enactment. The submission strongly supported the Bill’s responses to trafficking/slavery, “coward-punch” assaults and assaults on first responders.

FULL STORY

JPC submission on Crime Amendment Bill (Auckland Diocese JPC)

New legislation aimed at combatting retail crime puts workers and would-be heroes at risk (Law News)

Submission on the Crimes Act Amendment Bill 2025 (NZ Chambers of Commerce)