Mitchell Mark: Estimates Debate — In CommitteeText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeMitchell Mark: Estimates Debate — In Committee[Sitting date: 31 July 2013. Volume:692;Page:12148. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]MARK MITCHELL (National—Rodney):It is a pleasure to take a call today. I would like to talk about police leadership and then I would also like to talk about technology and how that has made our police force as the previous speaker Jacqui Dean said a different police force a more modern police service. But firstly in relation to the leadership as a new member of Parliament sitting on the Law and Order Committee when we had the Minister of Police in front of us Police Commissioner Peter Marshall and his two deputiesViv Rickard and Mike Bush I was extremely disappointed and to be honest with you shocked to see the treatment that was dished out to Deputy Police Commissioner Mike Bush by a Labour Party member Trevor Mallard.I would just like to read a little bit about Deputy Police Commissioner Bush and the service he has provided to New Zealand over a career that began in 1978: “Mike Bush has risen through the ranks after graduating from police college in 1978. He was in Thailand as NZ police liaison officer ... at the time of the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami. ...He’s brought down international drug rings led a desperate race to find a kidnapped five-year-old and solved every murder case he’s ever been assigned. ... After 33 years in the force there isn’t much Bush hasn’t seen—from a $100 million methamphetamine drug bust right through to solving grisly homicides. Beginning his career in Kaitaia he went on to take charge of Interpol in Wellington and headed North Shore CIB and was later crime manager of the Bay of Plenty district. Before becoming district commander for Counties-Manukau in 2008 he was crime services manager forWaitemata district. He solved every murder he’s investigated—including the mystery of what happened to 49-year-old electricianStavrosStavrianos murdered in his Auckland flat in 1999. The case was solved even though all the detectives had to go on was a tiny piece of his skull found in the plumbing of his Green Bay home. ... As an operation commander in 2008 he saw the safe return ofXinXin Ma to her relieved family. The little girl was snatched outside her Albany home. Ninety-nine hours later officers swooped on a property and found her hungry dehydrated and tied up in a wardrobe. Bush was awarded a prestigious silver merit award for the rescue. But he’s bashful about his role praising ‘the commitment of the whole team.’ ” He said that they had 45 staff. “ ‘You’ve never seen a more committed group of people to try and find a little girl and track down a lead.’ … It wasn’t the first time his calm measured approach was called on. Between 2003 and 2007 he was New Zealand’s police liaison officer in Bangkok. Within hours of the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami he was inPhuket—the first Kiwi cop on the scene. Amid devastation and chaos he took control reassuring anxious families reuniting them with their loved ones or helping identify the dead. Five New Zealanders were lost and when the scale of the disaster became apparent Bush led Disaster Victim Identification teams for nine nations. When it was over he was honoured by the Queen for his role.”Tim Macindoe: Well deserved.MARK MITCHELL: Absolutely. He is a man who has provided extraordinary service and has been willing to risk his own safety for this country. Yet on Wednesday 12 June I sat on a select committee and watched a politician not only criticise and attack him but also threaten his job. I have to say that I was ashamed and disgusted by that behaviour. I am sure that Mr Mallard would like people to recognise the service that he has provided to this country and I can tell you now that what Mr Bush was being accused of was making a eulogy for the family at a dead colleague’s funeral—someone who had served this country for many many years. He was not being accused of punching or assaulting another member of Parliament. He was not being accused of scalping tickets. He was accused of making a eulogy. So I would like everyone just to reflect and think about that for a moment.I would also like to talk about the use of technology. Technology is a huge part of what the police service is embracing and using—Vote agreed to.