3. Question No. 3—Prime MinisterHon PAULA BENNETT (Deputy Leader—National) to the Prime MinisterQuestion No. 3—Prime Minister3. Hon PAULA BENNETT (Deputy Leader—National) to the Prime Minister: Does she stand by all her Government's policies and actions?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN (Prime Minister): Yes in particular the progress we are making against some long-term challenges facing New Zealand including recruiting 1800 new police officers to help crack down on gangs; banning semi-automatic weapons to help keep our communities safe; increasing funding to combat organised crime trafficking drugs in the Pacific; more funding for police and customs which has helped with the 2019 record meth seizures—more than 1.5 tonnes has been either stopped at the border or seized—and of course fog cannons: over 500 installed since we changed the criteria; previously there were only three.Hon Paula Bennett: Is one of the reasons she is supporting legalising recreational marijuana because she wants to see the black market for marijuana eradicated?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: I reject the premise of that question.Hon Paula Bennett: Does the Prime Minister want to see the black market for marijuana eradicated?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: The member will reflect of course that she could speak either to the status quo we have at the moment—Hon Simon Bridges: Answer the question.Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: —which of course is that all forms of drugs are currently on the black market.Hon Simon Bridges: Ducking and diving.SPEAKER: Order!Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: We are the ones that as a Government have increased—Hon Simon Bridges: Answer the question.Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: —the penalties for synthetics and—SPEAKER: I called the member to order four times. He reflected on my chairing on four occasions.Hon Simon Bridges: No I didn't.SPEAKER: Yes the member did. He's been here a long time. If he doesn't understand that by now I don't have a lot of hope for him. He will stand withdraw and apologise.Hon Simon Bridges: I withdraw and apologise.Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: As I was saying currently all drugs are peddled through a black market and that is why we have increased the number of police officers to deal directly with those issues. We are bringing in 1800 new police officers; 700 are earmarked for organised crime. We have increased the funding available to Customs to try and ensure that we have more drug busts for what is increasingly an offshore market. That is the status quo for our legislation and we are boosting our activity to stamp it out. Hon Paula Bennett: Are the number of gang members increasing faster than police? Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: Oh if the member wanted to talk about the history of gangs growing she'd do well to look at 2011—2011—where the Rebel motorcycle gang under her watch is where the growth really started.Hon Paula Bennett: Can she confirm that the right price point and availability of a product in a legal market is what is required to get rid of the black market in drugs? Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: Again the member might reflect on the fact that growth in gangs started in roughly 2011—according to some of the research—and yes that connection has been made at that time to a growth in methamphetamine. So if the member wants to reflect on whether or not these two issues are connected yes they are and that started under the last Government. Hon Paula Bennett: If marijuana is legalised does she believe that there is a price point and an availability of cannabis that will mean that it will help eradicate the black market? It's not a trick question. Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: It is a hypothetical question because that is not our law. Hon Paula Bennett: Has the Government considered what excise tax they will put on marijuana if it's legalised? Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: This will ultimately be a question for the New Zealand public. There will be a full bill that they will be able to consider when they make that decision and that will be made public before the referendum. Hon Paula Bennett: Why has the Prime Minister called for a referendum on legalising recreational marijuana? Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: So that New Zealanders can determine whether or not that's what they would like to see happen in New Zealand. It is called democracy and we're not afraid of it. Chlöe Swarbrick: Can the Prime Minister confirm that the Green-Labour confidence and supply agreement includes a commitment to—and I quote—[increasing] funding for alcohol and drug addiction services and [ensuring] drug use is treated as a health issue and [having] a referendum on legalising the personal use of cannabis at or by the 2020 general election."? Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: I can confirm that. I also want to reflect again as the member has helpfully pointed out that members opposite seem to think these things are mutually exclusive. Unlike them we have not ignored the harm of drug and alcohol use in this country. The last Budget had a considerable investment including $200 million in capital investment for drug and alcohol treatment. These are issues that the last Government frankly ignored."