The group will provide independent advice on improving cross-government efforts
The newly appointed ministerial advisory group on transnational and serious organised crime held its first meeting on February 20 after it was appointed by cabinet, associate police minister Casey Costello announced.
The advisory group will provide independent advice on improving cross-government efforts to combat the growing threat posed by international and domestic criminal organisations.
“These criminal groups are organised like businesses, and we need to disrupt their operations accordingly—cutting off their product, supply chains, use of ‘labour,’ and targeting their financial networks,” Costello said in a news release.
To enhance collaboration, the group will focus on how various government agencies, including ACC, WorkSafe, Inland Revenue, Immigration New Zealand, and the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), can more effectively collaborate with law enforcement.
The advisory group is chaired by Steve Symon, a senior partner at Meredith Connell, and includes members with expertise in law enforcement and organised crime. Three members—Craig Hamilton, John Tims, and Jarrod Gilbert—have been appointed, with a fourth member to be named shortly. The group will operate for eight months and will be funded through the Proceeds of Crime Fund.
Costello emphasised the urgency of disrupting organised crime networks, citing their role in driving violent crime and undermining legitimate businesses and the broader economy.
“The illicit drug trade alone is estimated to have caused nearly $1.5bn in social harm last year,” Costello said.
The advisory group will examine ways to enhance enforcement and regulatory measures. Areas of focus include improving information-sharing between agencies, refining investigative and prosecutorial approaches, and strengthening frontline cooperation.
“We have a range of regulatory and law enforcement tools available, and agencies need to use them more effectively to dismantle criminal organisations and the sham businesses that front their activities,” Costello said.
She stated that the advisory group’s recommendations are expected to improve coordination among government agencies and enhance their response to serious organised crime. She also emphasised the goal of making New Zealand a highly challenging environment for such criminal groups to operate.
