Sharples Pita: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Sharples Pita: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:629;Page:1440] 
3.  
Dr PITA SHARPLES (Co-Leader—Maori Party) 
 to the  
Minister of Justice 
: He aha te mahere rautaki a nga Tari Ture hai whakaheke haere i te waihangatanga te tohatoha me te ngote mo te ngarara nei te methamphetamine ara P; ka mutu ka whaaro ake te Kawanatanga ki te whakarite i tetahi roopu whanui a-Paremata ki te whakakore i te P? 
[ 
What is the justice sector strategy to reduce methamphetamine manufacture distribution and use and would the Government support a cross-parliamentary party approach to stamp out P? 
] 
Hon MARK BURTON (Minister of Justice) 
: 
 The justice sector approach to methamphetamine is part of the broader Government response led by the Hon Jim Anderton under the National Drug Policy to combat drugs involving law enforcement customs health and education agencies. Within the justice sector through the Methamphetamine Action Plan the Government has undertaken a range of actions to combat P. Those include changes to the Misuse of Drugs Act including reclassifying P as a class A drug which of course means that the penalty for trafficking in P now carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment and improved resourcing of police and Customs Service drug enforcement services to respond to the current and future methamphetamine situation. Of course the Government welcomes the further support of any party that is willing to engage constructively on this issue. 
Dr Pita Sharples 
: Kua whakaaro ano te Minita mo nga mahi i te taha hauauru o Ahitereiria ara nga mahi muru taonga ara te whare te putea peke te motoka hoki mo era ka mauherehia mo o ratou mahi waihanga tohatoha hoki i te P? 
[An interpretation in English was given to the House.] 
[ 
Has the Minister considered the Western Australian experience in which those convicted of manufacturing and distributing P forfeit all assets including house bank accounts and car—a strategy that has proven successful in restricting the incidence of production? 
] 
Hon MARK BURTON 
: There has indeed already been significant movement in legislation which certainly allows the confiscation of the property of those who are involved in the trafficking of the drug. But I know that the Government would welcome further engagement with the member who clearly has a serious interest in this important issue. 
Simon Power 
: Does the Minister believe that the victims of the crimes of Trevor Eagle Steven Williams and William Duane Bell and the victims’ families agree that the Government is dealing with the methamphetamine epidemic; and is releasing individuals who are charged with the importation of raw materials to manufacture $15 million worth of P the Government’s idea of dealing with the problem? 
Hon MARK BURTON 
: I clearly cannot speak for those families. Although the Government has taken a range of actions—and quite decisive actions—there is much more to do. But it is not something that any Government alone can deal with; it is a wide community issue. I want to applaud the people who came to Parliament today—I think every member would—because those people have taken some personal responsibility to try to highlight this blight on our society. I applaud them for their action and will engage with any members in the House who want to look at further effective actions that we can take together. 
Russell Fairbrother 
: Can the Minister give some examples of initiatives under way or completed under the Methamphetamine Action Plan? 
Hon MARK BURTON 
: There are many examples. For the Customs Service new offences and powers have strengthened its ability to investigate the importation of chemicals used in the manufacture of methamphetamine. The Ministry of Health has established and is maintaining community action programmes and has increased funding for treatment. The police have established a comprehensive illicit drug monitoring system and are piloting a programme of drug-testing people detained in police cells. There is a range of others. Obviously I cannot go on because of the Standing Orders but there are many such programmes. But as I said before there is much more to do. 
Judy Turner 
: Does the Minister consider that one of the unhelpful trends of managing drug abuse is that there is poor cooperation between the many Government departments and agencies—health justice police and education—and can he assure us that the funding of community projects is not being undermined by the fragmentation and turf wars of those agencies? 
Hon MARK BURTON 
: I think the member raises an important question as to the importance of inter-agency cooperation and that indeed is certainly one of the principle reasons why the Hon Jim Anderton is leading a cross-Government approach under the National Drug Policy. One of its objectives is to ensure that we get the maximum cooperation and effectiveness from agencies. 
Judy Turner 
: Will the Minister consider a change in law to introduce a specialist drug court to allow treatment options to be incorporated into sentencing combined with the use of further sanctions for continued abuse of drugs or other reoffending as proposed by United Future’s policy on drugs and the law? 
Hon MARK BURTON 
: It is a matter that along with many of the suggestions that have been usefully made I think is worthy of consideration. I am happy to discuss the matter further with the member. 
Dr Pita Sharples 
: Kei te mohio kei te marama ranei te Minita ki nga mahi kua kokirihia i roto i te iwi Maori ara te rahui P ki Orakei i Tamaki-makau-rau me te rahui P i Maunganui i Tauranga me te kaupapa “P kore” kua whakaturia i te hapori o Murupara a ka tautokongia e te Tari Ture i nga umanga pai kua timatahia e te iwi Maori ara te pakanga i te P kahore ranei? 
[An interpretation in English was given to the House.] 
[ 
Is the Minister aware of the initiatives amongst the Maori people such as the rahui to ban P at Orakei in Auckland; the rahui to ban P in Maunganui in Tauranga; and the “P kore” strategy in Murupara; and how will the justice sector support the ongoing leadership of Maori communities to stamp out P? 
] 
Hon MARK BURTON 
: I certainly have some awareness of some of the initiatives the member has referred to and I applaud them. Again I welcome any approach from him to look at how we can give further support to those sorts of positive community initiatives. 
Ron Mark 
: Would the Minister agree with New Zealand First that three areas need to be targeted more stridently: firstly intervention at the borders to prevent foreigners from importing methamphetamine precursors into this country; secondly the crushing of gangs who manufacture and supply P many of them Maori; and thirdly stricter sentencing laws to stop judges from giving 22-month jail sentences with leave to apply for home detention for supplying the drug. 
Hon MARK BURTON 
: I agree with the member that all three of those areas are important. All three of them are areas where action has already been taken in terms of tougher sentencing stronger border controls and resources for agencies— 
Simon Power 
: They’re running free! 
Hon MARK BURTON 
: I am sorry but the facts do not support the member’s prejudice.