Tremain Chris: Sentencing (Aggravating Factors) Amendment Bill — First Reading 
Tremain Chris: Sentencing (Aggravating Factors) Amendment Bill — First Reading 
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CHRIS TREMAIN (National—Napier) 
: 
 I start by acknowledging the Hon Rick Barker in his new role as the senior whip for Labour. I look forward to working with him as we progress through the rest of the year. The Hon Rick Barker will stand in just a few short minutes to vote in favour of this Sentencing (Aggravating Factors) Amendment Bill on behalf of Labour but if we had listened to his speech with the exception of the closing 10 to 20 seconds we would have thought that Labour was opposed to this legislation. 
David Shearer 
: Keep you guessing Chris—keep you guessing. 
CHRIS TREMAIN 
: Yes I guess it did keep me guessing right to the end. It is good that we have wide-ranging support around the House for this legislation. The public would be forgiven for thinking that every piece of legislation in this House is opposed but up to 70 percent of legislation—certainly at its first reading—is supported by at least the main parties. In many cases there is wide-ranging support. 
In regard to this Sentencing (Aggravating Factors) Amendment Bill I rise to say how important it is to me that this legislation goes through the House. As a local MP the MP for Napier and Wairoa—and the same could be said for any member of Parliament who is out there in the wider New Zealand—I have got to know many members of the public. Members of the police force are members of the community whom MPs get to know very well. I have got to know many of the local police. Our families interact in many situations—on the sports field in ballet classes. We are part of the community together. The point I want to make is that when one of our local police officers is assaulted it hits home pretty loud and clear. When I get up in the morning and go to work for the day as a member of Parliament the last thing I expect is to be assaulted in my job. However for the local constabulary that is often part of their job. We get situations like the one that occurred in July of 2010 in Clive. A constable I know Senior Constable Alan Daly who was out doing his normal job for the citizens of Hawke’s Bay had to chase down a car that happened to have two P-riddled druggies in it. He approached them and the male in the car came round the back of the car and king-hit him in the back of the head knocking him to the ground. His partner got out of her side of the car and started smacking the officer in the head and bashing him with his radio. That was from a simple arrest—no he was not even looking to arrest them at first. These situations arise unfortunately on a nearly daily basis for our police constables. 
We as a Parliament need to be looking for solutions that reduce the level of assaults. I accept that this bill is not the only solution. The Minister of Police has taken steps in regard to giving the police access to Tasers—which I might say the Greens opposed throughout the process—and giving them access to weapons in police vehicles. The Minister of Police and the Minister of Justice have introduced a range of laws and they all create a package that is helping our police force members to be better protected when they are out there in the community looking after us as citizens and going about their job to the best of their abilities. The last thing that we should expect of them is to be thinking they will be assaulted when they go out in their daily role. 
I am proud to support this Sentencing (Aggravating Factors) Amendment Bill. It is great that despite some of the rhetoric from the other side of the House Labour is supporting this bill as well. I think it sends a message to our community that we are 110 percent behind our police force and the outstanding job it does in our communities around New Zealand. Thank you.