A slower strike rate under version 2.0 is not surprising because the process takes longer before a strike is imposed, compared with version 1.0. So why is version 2.0 being used so minimally? Three Strikes 2.0 is working as intended,” McKee said. To avoid this, the Government initially announced a 24-month sentencing threshold for each strike offence under version 2.0, though this was shorter than what officials had recommended. The strikes under 1.0 with long-enough sentences have been “reactivated” for version 2.0.

Source: New Zealand Herald January 17, 2026 22:32 UTC