Can you imagine being in business in 2022, having survived the last few years through the COVID Pandemic, only to be confronted by the ongoing idiots we now call Ram Raiders?

Well over the weekend, a small town near Wellington was among the latest to be targeted.

Seven young people are now in custody after they smashed a car into the shop, grabbing cigarettes and whatever else took their fancy.

Is David Seymour the only politician willing to stick with this and continually be that barking dog for our retail community?

Could local councils be more helpful instead of waiting for central government to determine who gets the pitiful funding to have bollards and additional security systems installed?

Raumati local MP, Barbara Edmonds, is trying to get agreement from the council for protective bollards to be installed, but delays kept occurring.

Barbara Edmonds says she has been due to meet with the retailer to discuss what support was available, and she understood that he is discussing the installation of bollards with Kāpiti Coast District Council.

Act leader David Seymour says that the government couldn't leave shop owners "sitting and waiting in fear" as the ram-raids continued. On average, more shops are being ram-raided than were being helped by the government fund announced in May.

Barely any money has been paid to shop owners from the fund and people's efforts to get bollards and strengthening put in front of their stores were being held up by bureaucracy.

Councils are seemingly now the hand break for what seems like the only preventative step that can be taken now in the absence of the government doing anything meaningful.

Be very careful how you vote in these local body elections. Going green and creating more parks is nice – but how many of those standing are a voice for our retailers or law and order?