8. JILL PETTIS (Labour) Link to this
to the Minister of Police
What recent reports has she received regarding traffic safety issues for young New Zealanders going to and from school?
Hon ANNETTE KING (Minister of Police) Link to this
I have seen a report stating that 1,330 children in the 5 years up to 2005 were killed or injured near schools during school terms, particularly during the high-risk morning and afternoon periods. A significant risk is posed to schoolchildren by speeding drivers. That is why the New Zealand Police is focusing on reducing the speed of drivers around schools—something that has received overwhelming support.
Has the Minister seen a report that the police are issuing tickets in order to gather revenue at the lower speed bands; if so, is this correct?
Yes, the National spokesperson on the police made this claim yesterday, even though the National Party was provided with information about why ticketing had increased in those lower speed bands last year. As police statistics show, from the commencement of the Speed Kills Kids campaign, an average of 5,770 tickets were issued each month around schools. This accounts for 90 percent of all tickets in the lower speed bands. The lower the speed, the more chance a child struck by a car has of surviving. Most parents welcome this enforcement but the National Party is not interested in saving children’s lives; it is interested only in the headlines it can get.
Peter BrownDoes the Minister accept that in some areas there is confusion as to where a school speed zone actually starts, particularly where the school is not obviously seen from the road; and if she does accept that, does she also accept that the speed zone and the limit should be made much more clear to the public?
Most schools are very clearly signposted as to where they are; where they are not, that is an issue. But most New Zealanders know that the speed limit is actually 50 kilometres an hour. There is an allowance of 4 kilometres over this level around schools. I suggest to people who are driving near schools that if they see a sign that says “School” they slow down. That is what New Zealanders want. I would like to show the House—
Madam SPEAKERI would like to show the House this graph that points out very clearly that the issuing of tickets started when the campaign against speed around schools started, and stopped during the school holidays. I believe that one of my whānau was set up by Mr Power, who did not give him all the information and made him look like a fool. I think that was a deliberate ploy because Mr Power could not handle the police portfolio.
Point of order—[ Interruption] If members wish to remain in the House, there will be silence during the point of order.
Hon Paul SwainI raise a point of order, Madam Speaker. I seek leave of the House for the National spokesperson to ask a supplementary question on this, given he had a lot to say about it yesterday.
Rt Hon Winston Peters Link to this
I raise a point of order, Madam Speaker. It is not right for the Minister to insinuate that a colleague of a member of Parliament has made him, by a process of misinformation, look a fool, particularly when this member looks a fool all by himself.
I seek leave to table the graph that shows that the number of tickets issued relates to the Speed Kills Kids campaign and is very clear as to why this campaign was undertaken and it is not for the purposes that the National Party tried to claim.
Judith CollinsI seek leave of the House to table a map of the Prime Minister’s motorcade trip through Timaru, including the school zones that she travelled through at 150 kilometres an hour.