8. Hon CLAYTON COSGROVE (Labour—Waimakariri) Link to this
to the Minister of Police
Does she stand by her statement that “the Government has taken prompt action to crack down on violent crime”?
Hon SIMON POWERHon Clayton Cosgrove Link to this
When the Minister said on Tuesday that half of the 7 percent increase in violent crime occurred under the previous Labour Government, was she aware that the increase in the 6 months to December was 2 percent, whereas the increase in the 6 months to June, entirely under the National Government, was more than double that at 4.9 percent?
Any increase in crime is unacceptable, as the Minister said earlier this week. I can report to the House that the Government will be progressing five measures later this afternoon to deal with these issues, as well as making sure that an announcement tomorrow morning about the victims of crime should have some relevance to the matter.
Mr SPEAKERBefore I call the honourable member, I note that he asked specifically whether the Minister was aware that there had been an increase in 6 months of 2 percent and a further increase in the next 6 months of 4 percent. The Minister may, in fact, have information that refutes that, but it would be helpful to hear an answer that relates to that.
Hon Clayton Cosgrove Link to this
When the Minister said on Tuesday that half of the more than 62 murders so far this calendar year occurred under the Labour Government, was she aware that the calendar year started in January?
The Minister has a very good grasp of when these crime figures start and finish. As she explained earlier this week, any murder is unacceptable. That is why the Government has moved swiftly through a range of measures to deal with these types of matters, and, frankly, we are not prone to flimflam.
Hon Clayton Cosgrove Link to this
How does the Minister reconcile her statement on Tuesday that “The Police has told that member time and time again that there was not a $21 million cut to its budget”, with a document I have, authored by the Canterbury district commander, Dave Cliff, who notes that the police have been asked to make savings and that the $21 million figure is inclusive of the $5.5 million found from the line by line savings; and how does she reconcile her statement with the transcript I have from the Vote Police estimates hearing, where the Commissioner of Police talks at length about what makes up the $21 million cut?
It is difficult to reconcile how a $20 million cut could come at a time when in the last Budget the Government has delivered about $200 million of extra funding over a 4-year period.
Hon Clayton Cosgrove Link to this
Will the Minister finally, in light of the information provided to her today, take some responsibility for the demands that she and her Government have put on the New Zealand Police in respect of the $21 million cut outlined by district commander Cliff and noted at length by Commissioner of Police Broad at the estimates hearing, and will she tell the New Zealand Police to reverse the cut in the vehicle fleet to the tune of 10 percent that she has forced on it and to reverse the rationing of firearms training?