4. Police Resourcing—NumbersRON MARK (Deputy Leader—NZ First) to the Prime MinisterPolice Resourcing—Numbers4. RON MARK (Deputy Leader—NZ First) to the Prime Minister: Does he continue to stand by all his statements; if so in what fashion?Rt Hon JOHN KEY (Prime Minister): Yes; and I did not realise question time had become Project Runway but now that the member has asked today I am wearing a New Zealand - designed suit. It is a New Zealand shirt made and designed here but it is 100 percent Egyptian cotton. It is an Italian tie and—I have got to be honest—I bought the shoes in Paris. [Interruption] Mr SPEAKER: Order! [Interruption] Order! I do not mind some interjection but when it is continuous I am going to have to deal with it. Ron Mark: When he said any increase in police would not be made because of [Mr] Peters' demands" following six extra police being sent to Kaitāia on a fixed 12-month term how does he explain this being doubled to 12 in the past 24 hours? Is it coincidence or politically fashionable?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: The police make their own decisions in the operational sense of where they send police officers but all I can say is that we do not respond to Mr Peters. What we do do is honour our commitments. When we came into office in 2008 there were 8211 police officers. As of today the latest annual report showed there are 8899 an increase of 688 police officers. Ron Mark: If Minister Collins met with him 2 months ago as she said this morning to discuss her concerns over police resources why have you Prime Minister waited until yesterday to announce increased police numbers or did Winston Peters just jog your mind?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: When the Government makes an announcement about the increase in the number of police officers it will do that as a formal announcement with details and specifics around that. I simply made the point when I was asked the question about police numbers that the numbers had gone up under a National-led Government and that I was confident that over time they would continue to increase. Ron Mark: Prime Minister are you listening to the concerns of your Ministers such as the Minister of Police Minister Collins or is she simply not briefing you correctly?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: The member has clearly never been in a briefing with Judith Collins if he does not think that she would be briefing me correctly forcefully and with all of the attention care and love that she has for the New Zealand Police Force. Police budgets in annual terms have gone up over $400 million in the time that we have been in office. We have increased both the technology and number of police officers and I am confident we will continue to invest in the police force. One thing I will say: on this side of the House in good times and in bad we actually support and back the police officers of New Zealand. That is not always the case on the other side. Ron Mark: Who does he agree with: his former Minister of Police and Deputy Prime Minister who said crime is decreasing; New Zealand First which said crime is actually increasing; his current Minister of Police who is now saying police are under-resourced; or is he actually listening to his poll-driven focus groups?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: I agree with the Deputy Prime Minister that crime rates are going down because that is a statement of fact. I agree with the Minister of Police when she says that we are investing in and will continue to invest in and support police officers. I do not agree with Mr Peters when he says the crime rate is going up because he is palpably wrong. Ron Mark: Then Prime Minister why have you allowed our police per capita ratio in New Zealand to plummet from 1:488 when New Zealand First was in coalition Government to where it is now at 1:526? Why have you allowed that to drop?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: It is true that the ratio has increased slightly and the Government will be looking at those issues but I think it is a little simplistic to say it is solely around those ratios because of the increases in technology. We have invested an enormous amount in that area and have got the equivalent of from memory about 324 additional police officers. I think it is logical actually to ask our police force to use the best technology provide the capability and therefore allow them to redeploy themselves and do more on the street. It is not solely just a matter of using old technology and more people on the street. I think that is a reasonably smart thing and that that police would back that."