Quinn Paul: Estimates Debate — In Committee 
Quinn Paul: Estimates Debate — In Committee 
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PAUL QUINN (National) 
:  
Mr Chair— 
Chris Hipkins 
: The real heavy-hitters are up tonight. 
PAUL QUINN 
: Yes it is a heavy-hitter because this is a very heavy subject. I say to Mr Hipkins in case he is unaware that it is a very important subject that the community and society of New Zealand takes very seriously in terms of equal justice for all. It is an area in which the previous administration failed miserably. In terms of our election promises that is one of the very key reasons why the people voted for this Government. 
We set out a number of targets in terms of our justice policy and we have achieved all of them. Let me remind members on the other side of the Chamber what some of those targets were. We said we would remove the right of the worst repeat violent offenders to be released on parole and that was achieved. We said we would introduce legislation to clamp down on criminal gangs—achieved. We said we would introduce legislation to toughen the bail laws to make it harder for criminals awaiting trial to get bail—achieved. All of those things have been achieved. My friend and colleague Simon Bridges covered other things. Our policies were all laid out before the community and the electorate prior to the election. We said that we would achieve those things and that is exactly what we have done. 
Hon Clayton Cosgrove 
: Check your  
Hansard 
. 
PAUL QUINN 
: We have kept our promises I say to Mr Cosgrove as we will continue to do throughout our term of office. Whether those promises concern superannuation or anything else we will keep them. We will be able to stand at the next election and say that with our hand on our hearts and those members will have nowhere to go. 
A number of other exciting Budget announcements are contained in these estimates. Increasing police numbers was a magnificent policy that the people really responded to. There are 600 new police officers on the streets. There are 300 extra police in Manukau City who are bringing order to the streets. They are working amongst the community. The previous administration failed in that area. In fact the previous Minister of Justice and Minister of Police Annette King had no idea about the answer to crime. We laid out our platform and as promised we are delivering with the estimates that are now before us. 
Let us talk about providing new instruments to the police to the law and enforcement sector to enable them to carry out their jobs better than they were able to do under the previous administration. I refer to the use of Tasers. We are addressing a very serious issue. We are instituting more security at the courts. These are very important issues. We need to provide security and confidence to judges to other court staff and to witnesses who go to court. We have a rolling programme going out in terms of enhancing the security of the courts. These are all practical easy-to-implement measures that the previous administration had the opportunity to undertake over 9 years. What did it do? It did nothing. Crime continued to rise waiting lists at the courts continued to lengthen justice was stretched out and people did not know what they were doing. Justice delayed is justice not done and this Government is attempting to do something about it. 
Another area we are boosting is the probation service with $153 million to provide better probation services and psychological services to the community. We are increasing prison capacity under the magnificent leadership of the Minister of Corrections Judith Collins. She is doing a magnificent job. The law and order spokesman on the other side of the Chamber Clayton Cosgrove was flummoxed during question time today. He had nowhere to go because of the outstanding leadership of the Minister of Corrections. It is all because our policies are reducing the number of prison escapes. He had no answer for members on the other side because of the leadership being shown by this Government.