10. Question No. 10—PoliceHon MARK MITCHELL (National—Whangaparāoa) to the Minister of PoliceQuestion No. 10—Police10. Hon MARK MITCHELL (National—Whangaparāoa) to the Minister of Police: Does she stand by her statement I reject the premise that gang tensions have increased under this Government's watch"; if so how does she reconcile that with at least 23 drive-by shootings over the past two weeks?Hon POTO WILLIAMS (Minister of Police): Yes as I outlined for the member yesterday there is currently a major operation under way in response to the recent escalation and tensions between two gangs. The operation is supported by the deployment of armed offenders squads who are actively conducting search warrants and making arrests. As of today there have been 24 search warrants carried out 25 arrests made and 11 firearms seized along with 666 rounds of ammunition. Just yesterday police carried out 11 search warrants across Wellington and Hamilton making 10 arrests and seizing $455000 in cash. Police also carried out a number of search warrants as part of Operation Cobalt and made three arrests. This Government is backing our Police through record funding and record numbers of new cops to ensure they can continue their exceptional work in cracking down on gangs and organised crime.Hon Mark Mitchell: What measure does the Minister use to establish whether gang tensions are increasing or decreasing?Hon POTO WILLIAMS: Well that's very interesting that that member should ask that question because the most harm from serious crime due to gangs was recorded I believe in 2010.Hon Mark Mitchell: Point of order.DEPUTY SPEAKER: Yeah the main part of the question wasn't addressed. So do you want to ask it again?Hon Mark Mitchell: What measure does the Minister use to establish whether gang tensions are increasing or decreasing?Hon POTO WILLIAMS: When we talk about gang tensions I could draw the member's attention to 2009: drive-by shooting in Dunedin where there were a number of gangs-related houses shot and arson attacks. In 2011 a gang member shot in a residential suburb. In 2016 a 14-year-old was shot in a gang dispute. Another headline that year reads: "Gang warfare coming to a town near you".Hon Mark Mitchell: Point of order Mr Speaker. Mr Speaker it was a very clear question—what measure does she use? She's given us a history on just about every other fact.DEPUTY SPEAKER: And unfortunately you interrupted her which is never good because you're asking me as a presiding officer to make a ruling on an answer that has not yet been completed. I was sitting here waiting for it. We're never going to know now. So the member can go on to his next supplementary. Hon Mark Mitchell: Another supplementary?DEPUTY SPEAKER: No I'm not giving you another one—if you have one you can ask it.Hon Mark Mitchell: What measure does the Minister use to establish whether gang tensions are increasing or decreasing?Hon POTO WILLIAMS: The measure that I use is the measure that the Police use where for example in 2010 the number of serious harm incidents caused by gang members was at its highest. I would say that that is a measure of the highest gang tensions.Hon Mark Mitchell: Will police be able to stop and search gang members without a warrant solely on the basis of having a firearms prohibition order against them under her Firearms Prohibition Orders Legislation Bill?Hon POTO WILLIAMS: Speaking of firearms prohibition orders (FPOs) I would hope that that member would take the politics out of this and support this Government to pass the FPOs under urgency when they return to the House in August. I would hope that that is the case—if we're not going to politicise the Police I would hope that is the case. With regards to the other part of the question: the police have sufficient search and surveillance powers. But can I remind the member that under Operation Tauwhiro there were 743 warrantless searches conducted so the police are able to conduct warrantless searches.Hon Mark Mitchell: Minister will police be able to stop a gang member that has an FPO driving through town and stop and search them purely on the FPO to see whether or not they either on themselves have a firearm or in their vehicle have a firearm?Hon POTO WILLIAMS: That's purely speculative and I've said that the police have the tools to do the job that they need—including warrantless searches. I know that that member would really love to be out there riding shotgun with the boys and I'm really grateful that policing has changed since the time that he was a police officer. Thank goodness it has.Hon Mark Mitchell: Point of order Mr Speaker. The Minister currently has a firearms prohibition order bill in front of a select committee coming to this Parliament and the Prime Minister and the Minister have both stood in this House and said that it has sufficient search powers for the police to use. I just asked a very clear direct question on that and she has completely failed to answer.DEPUTY SPEAKER: It was a hypothetical—Hon POTO WILLIAMS: Mr Speaker—DEPUTY SPEAKER: No. It was a hypothetical question. The Minister does not have to respond to the hypothesis. Have you got further questioning? David Seymour: If to quote the Minister "soft on crime" is "gendered language" how would she describe the language "the member wants to be out riding shotgun with the boys"?Hon POTO WILLIAMS: Yeah probably pretty accurate."