Mark Ron: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Mark Ron: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Sitting date: 19 June 2003. Volume:609;Page:6426. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
9.  
RON MARK (NZ First) 
 to the  
Minister of Police 
: Is he satisfied with the current numbers of police? 
Hon GEORGE HAWKINS (Minister of Police) 
: 
 Generally yes. 
Ron Mark 
: Is the public now to accept that under this Labour Government local citizens will be increasingly required to patrol our streets at night to keep towns like Kaitaia safe; and on that basis can they expect more people like Darrin Greer—Kaitaia’s Black Power chapter leader—to be appointed to community patrols and consequently more young men to be beaten to death as reported in the  
Weekend Herald 
 of 14-15 June 2003? 
Hon GEORGE HAWKINS 
: I am pleased with police numbers because one needs only to look back to when that member’s leader was part of the previous National Government. It proposed a— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: A question was asked and that question should be answered. 
Hon GEORGE HAWKINS 
: I am getting around to it. Those numbers show that the National Government planned a drop in police numbers. To have communities working together with the police is always a good idea and it is over to the police to work out whom they use to help them in their job. 
Lynne Pillay 
: What are the total numbers of sworn and non-sworn staff in the New Zealand Police? 
Hon GEORGE HAWKINS 
: We currently have more police than ever. At the end of May 2003 we had 7400 sworn police officers and 2159 non-sworn officers—a total of 9559. That is an all-time record. 
Dr Muriel Newman 
: Given that the Minister is satisfied with present levels of police why is he reducing authorised sworn police strength in every police district around the country? 
Hon GEORGE HAWKINS 
: I think the member is mistaken and she should have looked at the figures. We have and it is worth repeating a record 7400 sworn police and 2159 non-sworn police—a total of 9559. That is an all-time record. 
Ron Mark 
: I seek leave to table a report of the unfortunate death of a young man in Kaitaia who was beaten to death by Darrin Greer. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that document. Is there any objection? There is. 
Ron Mark 
: I seek leave to table a letter to the Minister of Police from Scotty Watson a Ready to Retail coordinator where he states that he is fearful that people might start taking the law into their own hands. 
Document by leave laid on the Table of the House. 
Ron Mark 
: I seek leave to table extracts from the National – New Zealand First Government coalition agreement that increased police numbers by 500. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that document. Is there any objection? There is. 
Dr Muriel Newman 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. My point of order is very specific. I asked the Minister to tell the House why he is reducing authorised sworn police strength in each district around the country. I did not talk about total numbers. The Minister failed to answer that question. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The Minister said he did not agree with the member. I heard the Minister specifically say that. 
Stephen Franks 
: How much of next year’s announced 22 percent increase in police spending on firearms licensing is for extra police numbers tied up in that work and is that $900000 enough to fund his still secret but shortly to be announced scheme to register firearms as licence renewals come up—all under the pretence of having to comply with the United Nations protocol? 
Hon GEORGE HAWKINS 
: Seeing that that question has nothing to do with the original one I advise the member to put down a separate question. 
Rodney Hide 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. It is for the Minister to take a point of order and say that the question is out of order; it is not for him to decide that it is a bit tough and therefore he will rule it out of order. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The first comment the Minister made was not perhaps appropriate but he is certainly entitled to say that he does not have the information on that because it was not in the original question—which it was not. I assume that the second part was in order but the first part was not. 
Rodney Hide 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. With the greatest respect I know that you help new members like myself but now you are actually coaching a Minister. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The member should not be silly please. 
Hon Tony Ryall 
: I seek leave to table a schedule that shows a 51 percent increase in car burglaries in the Minister of Police’s electorate and a 35 percent increase in car burglaries in the Prime Minister’s electorate. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table those figures. Is there any objection? There is. 
Hon GEORGE HAWKINS 
: I seek leave to table questions for written questions Nos. 5552 and 5554 by Tony Ryall. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought. Is there any objection? There is.