McKee Nicole; Mitchell Mark; Henderson Emily; Andersen GinnyNICOLE McKEE (ACT): Thank you Mr Chair. Minister I want to refer to a statement that was made by the member Emily Henderson in the opening remarks where she made the statement that Police had said most firearms that are found by criminals have come from the licensed firearmsowning community. That's something that this side of the House absolutely disputes. We don't believe that most of the firearms found by criminals come from there and have seen no evidence presented at all that actually stacks up with that claim.So Minister I'm asking what part of the firearms budget for New Zealand Police will be looking at the illegal importation of firearms to New Zealand; perhaps the illegal manufacturing such as 3D printing? Also I wonder what the Minister's aspirations are for criminals to be able to register their firearms in the new firearms authority's registry.Hon MARK MITCHELL (National—Whangaparāoa): I'm hoping that the Minister will stand and take a call and let us know that this email here talking about cuts in time off in lieu and leave is something that we shouldn't be worried about; it's just a Clayton's report and it's just business as usual. So I'm hoping that she will get up and she will reconfirm that.In terms of numbers what is the police Minister's plan now with the additional numbers—and by the way most front-line police officers' eyes glaze over when they hear us debating in this place about additional numbers; they don't feel like they've been reinforced at all. I was recently in Ōpōtiki meeting with the mayor there David Moore. Ōpōtiki is meant to have—or he's telling me—a full strength of 15 and they have got seven. There's 68 stations around the country that have lost police officers and there's over 100 that have had no additional numbers.So rather than sending emails out from Police National Headquarters (PNHQ) saying we're going to have to cut numbers—and by the way I hope that when that email comes out there's a clear focus on cutting numbers at PNHQ and not the districts. Again I've asked the Minister to stand and actually give us a sense of confidence that the districts are not going to be impacted by the fiscal restraints that are supposedly being applied.But what is her answer to the fact that you've got the Police Association president—who's pretty well in touch with the front-line members—saying they've been overwhelmed when her only response in this House when asked Do Kiwis feel safer?" is to say "Yes they should feel safer because we have delivered additional officers." when clearly Kiwis don't feel safer by her own admission? What is the plan now?Dr EMILY HENDERSON (Labour—Whangārei): Briefly before I begin my comment regarding the passage of firearms to offenders through the hands of licensed buyers was straight from the report which of course my friend across the way actually sat on and approved. It was advice given to us by the police who said that unlicensed offenders usually get their firearms which have passed at some point through licensed buyers—and thus through the hands of people who are licensed.But my question to the Minister is actually about when we are looking at the 1800 more police officers that we have now and looking toward the future. Where is she looking for the police to be interested in terms of the increasing of diversity? Is that still something that she is concerned with? I'd also actually like to hear more—and I think this is probably my primary thing—about the impact of Circuit Breaker compared to other initiatives such as oh I don't know boot camps.Hon GINNY ANDERSEN (Minister of Police): Thank you very much Mr Chair. Thank you to the member. In relation to the firearms question the value of having the registry and having a map of where all firearms are in New Zealand will take five years to establish. But we will have a better picture on if there is a burglary and a weapon is taken and if someone is purchasing a weapon legally and then passing it on illegally. While we can do that a bit now when we have the full map and the full picture that will enable faster tracing of a weapon that's been used in an illegal setting.My hope is that now that that targeting will be risk based the lives of those law-abiding legal hunters recreational firearms users—those who present as having a low risk to the community—are made I really hope easier and smoother. If you've had a licence for 10 years and you're good with a gun then you should be low-risk and not treated. It is in those instances that touch on family violence or other issues that are raising flags for police that that information will be able to be used.In terms of importing I'd need to get some additional information. But from my understanding police do work really closely with customs and are using intel they receive to identify people who are illegally bringing weapons into New Zealand. I know that there is always in terms of national intelligence and in terms of what the NIC does—the National Intelligence Centre within police—there's always more work being done to identify risks such as 3D printing where that technology is evolving and identifying potential risks that police need to be staying abreast of here in New Zealand. So just the fact that we are establishing a firearms registry does not detract from the fact that there is always good police work going on to identify particular risks within the community and to be able to put in place ways of preventing those from causing harm within our community.I'll go back to the email again. I feel like I've read out the email Mr Mitchell and then you asked me: what does it mean? Well I read it. So if I read it and you still don't know what it means I don't know what else to say.Hon Mark Mitchell: No you didn't read the whole email; you read part of it.Hon GINNY ANDERSEN: I did read the email out. So just to reiterate the email sent by the deputy commissioner does not mean cuts to districts; does not mean cuts to the front line. I've said that five times now. I'm happy to say it again—and if you ask the question again I'll even say it again if you want me to.So in terms of the point made in relation to police losing numbers every single police district in New Zealand has received additional police staff as a result of the 1800 additional police that are now on the front line. That means that we do have more police in districts. If the member wants to—as I think he's hinting at—break it down by station we do have new hubs like in Auckland where you have Eagle where you have tactical being run out of there. So if he wants to make sure that those districts—it is up for the district commander and the area commander where they wish to deploy to demand. They have been given additional staff and it is for those front-line officers to be able to determine where best placed their staff are put. That is not a call for the Minister of Police.In terms of Circuit Breaker 80 percent is the mark which is an interesting mark for Circuit Breaker and also Kotahi te Whakaaro. So that 80 percent is roughly the number that do not reoffend. Those youth offenders who have been involved in crimes such as ram raids when they go through those programmes the indicators demonstrate that approximately 80 percent of those are not reoffending. It depends on the age group but we've seen between about 72 and 80 percent.Flip the number if you're looking at boot camps—about 80 percent do reoffend. I think that was even picked up on by the Chief Science Advisor appointed under the previous National Government. Peter Gluckman actually highlighted the fact that boot camps really don't work."