2. MARTIN GALLAGHER (Labour—Hamilton West) Link to this
to the Minister of Police
What progress can she report on meeting the current police recruitment target of 1,000 extra sworn police by 30 June 2009?
Hon ANNETTE KING (Minister of Police) Link to this
I am very pleased to be able to tell the House that we have now reached the 500 mark in recruiting the extra 1,000 sworn police promised under a Labour-led Government’s confidence and supply agreement with New Zealand First. We have reached this target on schedule, despite a tight labour market, and despite the continued attempts by the National Party to ridicule, undermine, and destabilise the recruitment campaign.
I can report that the same National Party, according to John Key, now supports the campaign to add the 1,000 additional police. Of course, this is the “me too” party—the same party that was going to prune police officers by 500 when it was last in office. But, hey, it is good news: it has done another U-turn! It now does not need to have a police policy. All it needs to do is to copy ours, and that is exactly what it is doing.
Ron MarkHas she seen any reports commenting on the agreement between New Zealand First and Labour not only to budget for police numbers to be increased to provide another 1,000 police staff over the next three Budgets but to achieve ratios comparable with those in Australia by 2010; and, if she cannot find any other reports supporting that proposal, would she conclude, as most New Zealanders do, that the greatest risk to that policy being carried through is the election of a National Government that does not support it?
Madam SPEAKERThe member is absolutely right. The new-found commitment to 1,000 extra police by the National Party is real johnny-come-lately stuff, because it opposed this policy every step of the way until John Key had to front up to the Police Association. He had to have something to say, so he grabbed Labour’s policy and turned it into his own. People are not fooled. They will remember the Martin report and National’s desire to cut 500 police out of the New Zealand Police service. That is what the public will remember.