The fund allows stores to purchase protective equipment such as shatterproof glass, bollards, fog cannons, and roller doors to counter ram raids.

[9] By contrast, opposition ACT party leader David Seymour has advocated fitting youth offenders with ankle bracelets to counter ram-raids and robberies.

Māori Party co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer disagreed with taking a punitive approach to youth crime and advocated focusing on addressing poverty and mental health issues among offenders.

[13] During a Justice select committee hearing on 12 March 2024 Pride Project members Aaron Tyree and Eryka Kiri, Voyce national spokesperson Tupua Urlich, YouthLaw general manager Darryn Atchison and New Zealand Law Society representatives Dale Lloyd and Professor Jermey Finn criticised the proposed Bill, which they described as punitive and failed to address the causes of crime including poverty and dysfuncfional families.

They also sent an open letter calling for the Government to stop work on the legislation, arguing that a punitive response would hurt marginalised and impoverished children and young people.

Notable individuals and groups supporting the petition and open letter included Kick Back founder and youth worker Aaron Hendry and People Against Prisons Aotearoa spokesperson and criminology lecturer Emmy Rakete.