Power Simon: Appointments — Independent Police Conduct Authority 
Power Simon: Appointments — Independent Police Conduct Authority 
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SIMON POWER (National—Rangitikei) 
: 
 Madam Assistant Speaker I know you will indulge me for taking about 25 seconds before I address the motion. I was not in the House yesterday evening—I was back in my electorate—but I want to congratulate members opposite on their valedictory speeches. In particular I thoroughly enjoyed hearing on the radio the speeches made by the Hon Paul Swain and the Hon Steve Maharey. In times gone by that could have had consequences for road safety but last night all was well. I wish all those members opposite who have given their valedictories the very best. 
On the issue of the motion before the House our leader John Key has indicated to the Minister of Police that National will be supporting the appointment of Mr Alan Galbraith and Mr Mel Smith as members of the Independent Police Conduct Authority each for a term of 3 years. In recent times a matter of some debate in this House and outside of it has been the issue of appointments to bodies such as the Independent Police Conduct Authority being made close to a general election and the various  
Cabinet Manual 
 conventions around the consultation with Opposition members on such appointments. On this occasion John Key received a letter from the Hon Rick Barker on 25 August which appropriately in our view sought the Opposition’s view on these matters. 
The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Marian Hobbs) 
: I say to members to just lower their voices. Keep going Mr Power; it was just that the noise was getting up. 
SIMON POWER 
: Thank you Madam Assistant Speaker. It is worth spending a moment to note—and I am sure that the Minister who moved the motion will agree with me—that the authority has changed considerably under the chairmanship of Justice Lowell Goddard. It has become an authority that is truly independent and I note in fairness to the Government better resourced after Justice Goddard insisted— 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: Well she’s an authority—that’s the difference. 
SIMON POWER 
: She certainly is! As I understand it when Justice Goddard appeared before the Law and Order Committee she made determined noises about seeking more resources from the Government to fund the authority. 
Justice Goddard brings to the Independent Police Conduct Authority an air of authority and she has a presence and determination about her. In recent days I have had absolutely no hesitation in assuring a constituent—who had talked to me about a particular matter involving the police—that if he wrote to the authority now that Justice Goddard is in charge he would hear firm fair and very independent views expressed. I think the chairperson is doing a particularly good job. 
But with increased responsibility increased independence and increased resources in the budgetary sense comes the need to firm up the authority by placing on the authority members of equal gravitas equal experience and equal independence. I do not know Mr Galbraith but I know of him and having made some inquiries prior to the motion being put to the House I know that he will do a terrific job.As the Associate Minister Rick Barker said Mr Galbraith was a member of the New Zealand Police for 37 years. He has a strong investigative background; having spent most of his police service in the Criminal Investigation Bureau I understand he worked in Wellington Palmerston North Auckland and national headquarters and was the New Zealand Police liaison officer in South-east Asia for 3 years. He retired from the position of assistant commissioner of police for crime and operations in 1995 and brings to this position knowledge of trusted and trustworthy policing in New Zealand. 
The Associate Minister when he wrote to Mr Key in late August on this issue made this statement: “New Zealand police are one of the Authority’s biggest stakeholders and the Authority needs the confidence of the police. It expects them to take the Authority’s reports and criticism seriously.” I think the Associate Minister missed an “if” there now that I read it out loud. It is worth noting that Mr Galbraith will bring that experience and the National Party is certainly supportive of the part of the motion that is his appointment to the Independent Police Conduct Authority. 
The second person probably needs less introduction to the House. Mr Mel Smith of course completed a short term as an Ombudsman in which he delivered his report into his investigation of the criminal justice sector. It may not be very interesting to other members but I think it is a particularly interesting matter. That criminal justice sector report was some of the finest work done by an Ombudsman looking at the state of the criminal justice sector. It was a report that in actual fact suggested a separate independent inquiry into the criminal justice sector. That was not to be dismissed lightly. The Prime Minister herself asked for that report in the first instance and Mr Smith did not hold back in delivering a very objective view of the criminal justice sector. It is that type of independence that type of fearlessness when it comes to dealing with institutions and matters of that level of importance that make Mr Smith a very appropriate addition to Justice Goddard’s authority. 
As I said Mr Smith had just completed a short term as an Ombudsman in late 2007 but he had previously served consecutive periods totalling 3½ years and 2 years as an Ombudsman. His CV is impressive. He has had various senior State sector appointments including Deputy Secretary for Internal Affairs Deputy Secretary for Justice acting Secretary for Justice acting chief executive of the Government Superannuation Fund and also acting Chief Executive of the Ministry of Social Policy. He has chaired various ministerial reviews including the review of the general election process in 1999 and the review of the Department of Work and Income. He will bring serious clout to the authority and it is my hope that he along with his fellow members of the authority and of course the authority herself will continue to act not only in an independent and appropriate way but in a way that does the thing we are most concerned about in establishing the authority and its membership and that is to restore public confidence in the police. 
The parliamentary term has not been full of good news for the police but like most New Zealanders I am of the view that 99.9 percent of police in New Zealand do a fantastic job. It is not an easy job and they should be supported for doing it but where things go wrong the public need to be assured that those things will be looked at in an independent thorough way. I am sure that the additions to the authority that are before the House today in this motion will under Justice Goddard’s firm hand and guidance see the authority maintain the rigour that is required to ensure the police continue to be held in high regard. 
The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Marian Hobbs) 
: Thank you Mr Power. I apologise. I did not want to interrupt you mid-flow. There is an awful atmosphere of end of term in the House this morning.