Coalition Government lassos livestock rustling

New rules to crack down on livestock rustling will come into force following the passing of the Crimes Amendment Bill says Justice Minister Andrew Little.

“For too long farmers have been urging successive Governments to assist in their battle against the scourge of livestock rustling. This Coalition Government listened, and now we’ve changed the law,” says Andrew Little.

“Farmers and rural communities make a huge contribution to the wellbeing of New Zealand and our economy. Meanwhile livestock rustlers have undermined rural people’s livelihoods and their right to be safe in their homes.

“The two new offences send a clear message that this Coalition Government will not tolerate livestock rustling, whether it is sheep, cattle, beehives, sheepdogs or other animals that are stolen or harmed.

“Today is a new era, where we have finally classified livestock rustling as it should be – as criminal offences in our criminal code.

“Importantly, this step also gives Police and the Courts the tools they need to rope in the rustlers,” says Andrew Little.

Federated Farmers estimates the cost of theft of livestock to the farming community at over $120 million every year, and a survey indicates about a quarter of their members had stock stolen in the last 5 years,” says Andrew Little.

The new offences which will be added to the Crimes Act 1961 are:

• theft of livestock or other animal, carrying a maximum penalty of 7 years imprisonment,
• unlawful entry to land used for agricultural purposes, where the offender intends to steal livestock or act unlawfully against specified things, such as buildings or machinery, on that land. That offence carries up to 10 years imprisonment.