Legislation to target stalkers is making its way through parliament. Photo: 123RF
The head of an anti-stalking project says legislation to target stalkers must be passed urgently.
The Crime Legislation (Stalking and Harassment) Amendment Bill is making its way through parliament, with Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith hoping it will pass this year.
The bill was changed earlier this year, after unanimous recommendations by the select committee to lower the threshold for jail-time.
Aotearoa Free From Stalking project lead Leonie Morris told RNZ the government needed to move quickly.
"Definitely, there needs to be urgency," she said. "While we're waiting for the law to be passed, people can be harmed."
She said 85 percent of stalkers knew their victim and at least half of all stalking was committed in a family violence situation.
"We know, in New Zealand, that we have a huge family violence problem, so it's very urgent that the government passes this law this year and I believe they will."
The minister had given assurances, Morris said, but a new law wasn't enough.
"We really need thorough police training on stalking, so they know how to recognise stalking when it's happening and, of course, they know the law, so they can enforce it quickly and efficiently."
Rehabilitation was also needed, specifically when the stalking took place outside a family violence context.
The group had previously expressed concerns over a caveat in which stalkers could be warned by police about their behaviour, without the victim first being notified.
"We've asked for a provision in the bill that notification to the stalker is not given, until there's been a conversation with the person that's being stalked, just to ensure that they're comfortable, that they have a safety plan, that they know when the notice is going to be given to the stalker," Morris said.
Goldsmith told RNZ the goal was still to pass the legislation by the end of the year.
"We've got an incredibly busy legislative pipeline across government and across the justice sector, but that's very much our goal," he said. "It's halfway through the parliamentary process, it's had its first reading, it's been off to select committee, we've made a few changes during the select committee process, it now just has to go through two more stages in the house."
There had been long-standing calls to come up with stalking legislation, Goldsmith said.
"Primarily, this is around holding people to account to their behaviour, and society sending a clear message through the legislation that stalking and harassment is not something that we tolerate," he said. "We want to be very clear about that message."
Goldsmith said the government wasn't interested in a culture of excuses for poor behaviour.
"People need to be held to account and for the law to be clear in this matter, and that's why we're progressing this legislation."
Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
