Nation's killing fields revealed

Shootings, stabbings and a fatal home invasion have contributed to South Auckland becoming the murder capital of New Zealand.

Latest Statistics New Zealand figures reveal there were 11 murders in the Counties Manukau police district last year - one for every 45,000 people.

Next came the Southern district, then Northland, Bay of Plenty, Canterbury and Auckland.

The murder rates of those six police districts were higher than the national average - last year there were 53 murders in New Zealand, one per 80,539 people.

Counties Manukau also had the highest number of murders per capita in 2006.

Bay of Plenty had the worst ratio in 2005 and 2007 and last year. Counties Manukau District Commander Mike Bush said police had made arrests in all 11 murders last year.

Four involved firearms, other weapons were used in three, two were done manually and two were a result of cutting or stabbing.

High-profile murders included Navtej Singh, who was gunned down at his Manurewa liquor store, and Yin Ping Yang, 80, who died three days after she was assaulted in her own home.

"The main driver for violence as we see it is alcohol abuse. Drugs driven by organised crime is also a major," Bush said.

"Our key focuses are crime caused by violence and crime caused by drugs, driven by organised crime."

Manukau Mayor Len Brown did not return requests for comment, but the Government has promised 300 new officers for the district by the end of next year.

Criminologist Greg Newbold said the high crime rate in areas like Counties Manukau and Bay of Plenty was due to the make-up of the community. "There are lots of Maori living in those areas. Maori are associated with violent crime," he said.

Newbold said there were higher levels of alcohol, domestic and child abuse, joblessness, and poverty associated with Maori than any other ethnicity.

"It could have been Counties Manukau, it could have been anywhere that carries those factors."

There were six murders in the Southern district last year - including Sophie Elliott - but a spokeswoman said that was an "aberration".

"In 2007 there was only one murder in Southland and Otago, in 2006 two and 2005, none. There is nothing to suggest that the figures for 2008 represent a long-term trend."

Invercargill Mayor Tim Shadbolt said he was surprised the region area had rated so highly.

"I think statistics can be distorted a bit when you have such a small population as is the case with us."

Dunedin Mayor Peter Chin was reluctant to comment on the figures because they were not specific to his area, but said his council was committed to working with police and other emergency services to ensure public safety.