KEY POINTS:
Opposition MPs raged at cabinet ministers in Parliament today, accusing the Government of failing the people of Wanganui and lacking the political will to deal with gangs.
National, New Zealand First and ACT said tough talk was not being matched with action, a charge denied by Justice Minister Mark Burton who was fiercely questioned about Saturday night's drive by shooting.
"How can he claim that the Government is doing all it can to protect the people of Wanganui when Mongrel Mob cars guarding their forts are able to have rifles prominently displayed in the back seats?" asked National's Wanganui MP Chester Borrows.
"Or does this just confirm the lack of political will to enforce the law as far as gangs are concerned?"
NZ First MP Ron Mark, who wants gangs banned, quoted Defence Minister Phil Goff saying in Parliament that New Zealand was committed "on every front" to fighting terrorism.
"Why is it that this government is prepared to talk and act tough with respect to international terrorism, but when it comes to domestic terrorists they roll over and admit defeat?" he asked.
National's justice spokesman Simon Power said the Government made an election promise to develop a strategy to fight organised crime, but it had not intended to release it until March next year.
"Why should the people of Wanganui, and the rest of the country, believe that this government cares about stopping gangs from spraying bullets around our streets?" he asked.
"When are we going to get some real action instead of more reports and ongoing strategies?"
ACT's Heather Roy said the real answer was to enforce existing laws rather than ask for new ones.
"Why won't the Government issue to all government departments a zero tolerance policy on gangs for breaking the law, no matter how trivial?"
Mr Burton said a great deal of practical action had been taken, and he listed numerous law changes the Government had enacted since it came into office to strengthen police powers.
He said the Proceeds of Crime Bill that was under process had the potential to cut off the money supply to organised crime, and he challenged Mr Power to let it through quickly.
"And we have brought together senior representatives across government agencies, they will be reporting to ministers this week," he said.
"If there are further measures that can be taken to further strengthen the toolkit for the police, we will do it."
He told Ms Roy she had raised a fair question about enforcement of existing laws.
"That's one of the specific questions that ministers have put to senior officials, and we will get a report this week," he said.
"If there are provisions that are not being adequately used, then we will expected them to be more adequately used."
In other political developments today:
* Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia said that while a lot of gangs were involved in bad behaviour, not all of them were criminals.
"I'm not excusing any of the behaviour, it is totally unacceptable, but just like I'm not prepared to say that the police are all rapists I am also not prepared to say that all gangs are criminals."
Prime Minister Helen Clark said Mrs Turia should not make excuses for them.
"Gangs are criminal organisations. That's what distinguishes them from other normal legal organisations," Miss Clark said.
"Gangs cause a tremendous amount of misery in the community."
* Maori Affairs Minister Parekura Horomia said four people from his ministry were "in there trying to sort things out".
"I don't want to make any soft excuses for gangs, if that's what Tariana is doing," he said.
"At the end of the day they need to be sorted out and there are a whole host of ways of sorting them out."
* Labour MP Jill Pettis, who represented Wanganui up to the last election, said gangs had a history of being involved in crime at a very high level.
"Why would you join a gang if you don't have criminal intent? Why don't you just become a member of a social service organisation if you want to belong to a community?"
- NZPA
