The Prime Minister is defending the Government's record on crime after she spoke with the family of the dairy worker fatally stabbed on Wednesday.
Jacinda Ardern met with Sandringham community leaders, police and spoke with victim Janak Patel's family on Saturday.
Following her meeting with community leaders, Ardern defended her Government's record on crime, saying "we have been looking to add tools" to combat it.
"We have not taken them away and we've looked to continually ask ourselves 'what more can we do?'"
And it seems her meeting with community members has sparked a review of the Government's retail crime prevention programme.
"In talking to the community and hearing some of their experiences, we are of the view that we do need to go back and look at additional changes to some of the work we've already put in place."
When asked if she thought Aotearoa has a crime emergency, Ardern didn't put a label on it, instead highlighting the spike of "particular criminal activity".
"For those who are facing it, it is horrific, it makes them feel vulnerable, it makes them feel targeted and it makes them feel unsafe. No New Zealander wants them operating under those circumstances."
The Prime Minister's defence comes after former Labour MP Dr Gaurav Sharma responded to a Facebook post by the Prime Minister by saying she doesn't care about crime happening under her watch.
"Shame on you and your Government's inaction," Dr Sharma, a Hamilton West by-election candidate, wrote.
"You have absolutely no interest in how unsafe our citizens and communities are feeling. You live in Sandringham Prime Minister. If people aren't safe in your suburb, where are they safe?"
Ardern's post said she was "so sorry this has happened".
"For now, what I do know is that no one should fear their loved one going to work. No one should have to confront such senseless violence or crime," she wrote.
"Our job as Government is to make sure those who commit such crimes are brought to justice, and to try and prevent them occurring at all. On both counts, we will keep doing all we can."
