Auckland Central candidate Mahesh Muralidhar with Epsom candidate Paul Goldsmith and Whangaparāoa MP Mark Mitchell. Photo: RNZ / Jordan Dunn
Almost 100 people gathered in central Auckland on a gloomy Monday evening for the National Party's first Law and Order meeting of the election campaign.
Several residents and store owners shared personal stories of feeling unsafe in the inner city, though some attendees threw insults about the party's leadership, and failures of the police.
Whangaparāoa MP Mark Mitchell and Epsom candidate Paul Goldsmith accompanied Auckland Central candidate Mahesh Muralidhar.
Ninety-eight people gathered in the Methodist Church Hall in Newton for the law and order meeting, leaving the building half-full.
Despite the relatively low numbers, many of the attendees were eager to share their stories about how crime has affected them.
About 100 people attended the meeting. Photo: RNZ / Jordan Dunn
Among them, Kate, a resident who works on Karangahape Road, said she had seen crime constantly.
"Children buying drugs," she said, "the social deprivation, the gang presence, and the drug issue are really out of control."
She said locals have seen so much crime, it had become normalised.
"We've become so accustomed to the crime on the street, that perhaps we're not speaking out enough."
"The gang presence in July, with a parade down Karangahape Road, that's when I really thought, 'things have gone too far'," Kate said.
The chief executive of Community Patrols New Zealand, Chris Lawton, said his members were seeing the same problems around the country.
"There's certainly an increase in crime and disorder ... so it's a common thing across the country," Lawton said.
"You can go to any of the big cities across New Zealand and you're going to hear the same message and the same concerns."
Attendees repeatedly called for greater police presence, among them was Christopher Yates, the owner of Black and White Security.
"We need beat cops, guys that can go up and down the street, wherever it is, K road, Auckland City Central ... and talk to people."
Yates said his guards had been assaulted 19 times in the past year, and they should not have to handle such dangerous situations.
"And these security guards, in a lot of situations, Mark [Mitchell], are the first responders," Yates said, "and I have to teach my guys how to do things like CPR, how to prevent a crime scene from being tarnished."
One attendee called out the party's leader, Christopher Luxon.
"Chris came out and said his personal opinion about abortion ... should never have been said," he said, "secondly he came out and ridiculed the contraception issue."
Each speaker however, quickly defended their leader.
"He has brought this party back together, he has sorted so many things out, and this party is on the mend and ahead because of Christopher Luxon," Muralidhar said.
He then asked a number of women to raise their hands if they were "enthusiastic" about Luxon, which several did.
Later that night, the Auckland Central candidate said the meeting exposed the problems people were facing in the city.
"Fear, anxiety, a sense of hopelessness, as if they can't see change," Muralidhar said.
"I march down Queen Street and four people have been shot ... you want a government to come out and say 'no, this is not okay', and they'll address it."
The National Party is planning further public meetings in other centres as the election campaign progresses.
