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National promise to 'crack down on drug kingpins' in methamphetamine policy

September 7, 2020

Party leader Judith Collins announced the policy today while campaigning in Napier.

National are promising to use the "full force of the criminal justice system to crack down on drug kingpins" in their latest policy to tackle methamphetamine demand and supply in New Zealand. 

National Party Leader Judith Collins said their plan would restore "hope to people trapped in cycles of drug dependence and challenging those who peddle misery in our communities".

"The use of this drug tears families apart, fuels violence, enriches criminals and destroys lives," she said. 

National wants to establish a $50 million fund for community harm reduction programmes and to create new technology initiatives at the border.

Leader Judith Collins said methamphetamine rips apart families and fuels violence.

They also want to introduce targeted offences and sentences for "organised crime offences", add 13 meth detox beds across New Zealand and have at least one full time methamphetamine specialist per District Health Board (DHB). 

It wanted to establish the intensive rehabilitation programme, the Matrix Programme, which was developed in the United States and has already been trialled by the Nelson-Marlborough DHB, across five DHBs. 

National's Justice spokesperson Simon Bridges said there would be "no tolerance" for dealing or supplying meth. 

"We will build capacity to interdict the international crime cartels that are bringing this problem to our shores."

Mr Bridges said National would do this by increasing funding to organisations working on the border to identify incoming drugs, create a new supply disruption strategy in Corrections facilities and to target domestic organised crime networks. 

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