'MAG Delivered': Group To Wrap Up Early After Exits

The Government will dissolve its Ministerial Advisory Group (MAG) for victims of retail crime in early May, three months earlier than originally planned, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has confirmed. The group had been expected to conclude its work around September but will now wrap up following a series of resignations and the decision not to appoint replacement members.The move comes after three of the group’s five members-Carolyn Young, Michael Bell and Lindsay Rowles-stepped down last month. Their resignations left Sunny Kaushal, chair of the MAG, and Hamilton liquor retailer Ash Parmar as the only remaining members.Speaking to The Indian Weekender, Kaushal said he was comfortable with the group concluding early, stressing that his focus had always been on delivering tangible outcomes for victims of retail crime rather than allowing the advisory body to become, in his words, an “endlesstalking group”.“To this end, I made sure the MAG delivered our advisory work quickly, so that victims could see legislation in the House before we wrapped up,” Kaushal said. He added that prioritising real legislative progress was more important than pursuing ongoing frameworks that other members may have preferred.Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith echoed that sentiment, saying the group had largely completed its mandate. Speaking to 1News, he said the Government could either reappoint new members or wind the group up early, and chose the latter given the progress already made. Goldsmith described the MAG as “very successful,” pointing to amendments to the Crimes Act currently before Parliament as evidence of its impact.Kaushal noted that the group is still finalising its remaining reports, which will be delivered before May as planned. He said the MAG’s work beyond that point would have focused on maintaining pressure on ministers to turn recommendations into policy.Established in July 2024 for a two-year term, the MAG was tasked with engaging directly with victims of retail crime, frontline workers, business owners, industry experts and advocacy groups, and advising the Government on urgent measures to address retail crime across New Zealand.