9. Question No. 9—PoliceHon MARK MITCHELL (National—Rodney) to the Minister of PoliceQuestion No. 9—Police9. Hon MARK MITCHELL (National—Rodney) to the Minister of Police: Is he satisfied his policies are getting ahead of incidences of organised crime and gang activity in New Zealand?Hon STUART NASH (Minister of Police): Yes particularly our plans to bring in tougher penalties for gun crime under the Arms Legislation Bill which the National Party is trying to block. The changes will prevent a gang member from ever holding a firearms licence which they could under the previous Government. I agree with Gun Control NZ which today have said that National is trying to make it easier for crims gangs and extremists to get their hands on firearms".Hon Mark Mitchell: Can he confirm new figures released this morning that show a 32 percent increase in gang numbers under his watch with over 7000 people now recorded on the National Gang List?Hon STUART NASH: What I can confirm is 2000 new police under our watch. That is over double what the previous Government promised to deliver. Thanks to the coalition Government there are 2000 more police in our communities fighting gang harm and keeping us safe.SPEAKER: I'm going to rule that the member must address the question.Hon STUART NASH: Gang numbers have increased but if that member believes they've increased under our Government he is wrong. It is widely acknowledged that when Australian gangs became established here in 2011 the next year police numbers fell by 150. In fact under the previous term of that Government police numbers fell. Under our Government so far: 2000 new police out in our communities.Hon Mark Mitchell: Can he say his policies are working if gangs recruited almost 100 new members in 30 days in December of last year?Hon STUART NASH: Let me tell you about another policy in my area. It's called the gang focus unit set up according to the District Commander because of the new numbers. The gang focus unit in Hawke's Bay has made over 100 arrests over 250 convictions and the only reason that gang focus unit is there is because of 2000 more police into our communities and that is over double the number promised under that Government.Hon Mark Mitchell: If the Minister keeps telling us that there's over 2000 more police on the street why are gang members going up daily?Hon STUART NASH: Let me give you another example. I was in Warkworth that member's electorate where there are now over 100 percent more police than there were under his Government and for the first time ever the Warkworth police station is open 24/7 under this coalition Government. Fantastic.Hon Mark Mitchell: How is the Minister going to stop the Comanchero gangs from moving into my electorate of Warkworth?Hon STUART NASH: Well that's interesting because I remember when the Hon Judith Collins when she was Minister of Police said she was going to crush the Australian gangs and she did nothing. What we have done is of the 2000 more police—of the 2000 more police—a whole chunk of these are going into organised crime and I could give numerous examples of where we have in fact made significant—SPEAKER: Order! Order! Order!Hon Judith Collins: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker.SPEAKER: I hope it's not going to be to dispute an answer because the member knows that she can't do that by point of order.Hon Judith Collins: Well no. I'll have to take a privileges complaint I suppose. That would be a shame wouldn't it?"