Business owner calls for Ardern, Hipkins to do 'undercover shift' to see how 'scared' workers are

A Hamilton business owner believes the Government doesn't understand how "scared" dairy workers are as the cries for action grow louder.

It comes after Auckland dairy worker Janak Patel was fatally stabbed during a robbery at Rose Cottage Superette in Sandringham on Wednesday night.

The stabbing has shocked the tight-knit community and prompted concern from other retail workers.

Hamilton business owner Ash Parmar told AM on Monday he believes politicians are not aware of the "anxiety" workers face.

"I really don't think they have an idea how scared people are or how much anxiety they get from seeing someone with a mask on their face or sunglasses on their face," Parmar told AM co-host Ryan Bridge. 

"In their minds, the heart just starts rushing, the anxiety kicks in. Here we go, it's going to happen again."

To see how scared dairy workers are, Parmar is calling on Police Minister Chris Hipkins and Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern to do an undercover shift.

"They should come work in the shop, but not with photographers and all that, come work as kind of an undercover boss and they will see really how scared people are to work in their shops," he said.

Ardern was on AM after Parmar's interview and was asked if she would consider his offer for undercover work.

"I'm happy to talk to shop owners and I have and we do because we want to make sure that the things we are doing make a difference and are an intervention that work," Ardern told AM.

"I worked in retail for a very long time, but that was many years ago, obviously in this context, we'll constantly make sure we are not basing our ideas on nothing, they're based on the experiences we are hearing."

Ardern said Cabinet will meet on Monday to discuss the crime prevention work they're doing to make sure everyone is being reached that needs help.

Parmar was at a vigil in Hamilton on Sunday where around 200 people stood on Te Rapa Rd, outside The Base, calling for the Government to address the crime wave hitting small businesses.

Parmar asked gatherers to raise their hands if they had been targeted by an aggravated robbery and almost the whole crowd did.

"That was more to show the politicians who came there yesterday, these are real people with real faces, real emotions," Parmar said.

"We've been victims of many of these crimes and all of these guys yesterday, I guess, wanted to show their faces, come to this vigil, stand by the road and hold signs."

Hamilton business owner Ash Parmar.
Hamilton business owner Ash Parmar. Photo credit: AM

Dairy workers countrywide will be sending a strong message to the Government on Monday as they plan a nationwide protest.

The solidarity vigil will take place from 12:30pm to 2:30pm, where dairies are being encouraged to shut up shop and stand outside.

A larger vigil is being held in front of Ardern's electoral office in Auckland's Mt Albert, but supporters from other cities have been encouraged to gather in front of their local MP's office.

Business owner calls for Ardern, Hipkins to do 'undercover shift' to see how 'scared' workers are
Photo credit: AM

Appearing on AM alongside Parmar, Dairy and Business Owners Group chair Sunny Kaushal said "emotions are running very high" and dairy workers want answers.

"So we [want to] send a strong message to the Government, this is not on, something needs to be done urgently," Kaushal said.

"We don't need to lose our family members... it's very, very horrific but irrespective of whosoever is in Government, Labour or National, we want [it to be] safer and we want them to work with retailers."

Kaushal said he sent Hipkins an eight-point memorandum five weeks ago of how the Government should tackle the "crime emergency" hitting New Zealand and he's urging Ardern to read it as well.

"It starts with accepting that there is a crime emergency and we require the tools and the funding to stop this crime, which is happening around the country," he said. "We need to support our police, they need more police on the streets."

Business owner calls for Ardern, Hipkins to do 'undercover shift' to see how 'scared' workers are
Photo credit: AM