3. Question No. 3—Prime MinisterNICOLA WILLIS (Deputy Leader—National) to the Prime MinisterQuestion No. 3—Prime Minister3. NICOLA WILLIS (Deputy Leader—National) to the Prime Minister: Does she have confidence in all of her Ministers?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON (Deputy Prime Minister) on behalf of the Prime Minister: Yes. In particular I have confidence in Ministers who have helped deliver 3.2 percent unemployment more than 5 percent annual average economic growth a reduction in the indicators of child poverty across the board and a world-leading COVID-19 response—to name a few. I also have confidence in Ministers who have prioritised the safety of our communities by significantly increasing police funding by $450 million since we took office. I stand by Ministers who are supporting the police to deploy 700 more organised crime staff to bust gangs. I've got confidence in Ministers who are progressing legislation through this House that will give police more tools to address gang violence. And finally I have confidence in Ministers who've understood and prioritised the need for more police which is why we have put 1400 more cops on the front line.Nicola Willis: Was it acceptable for the police Minister to dismiss media questions about a blowout in police response times saying I'm not kind of prepared to step into that." and "I'm not over the detail of that."?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: On behalf of the Prime Minister in the 13 years that I have been in the House I have heard each and every police Minister refer to matters as being operational matters. What I haven't been able to hear until recently is the $450 million extra that this Government has put into the police the 1400 front-line cops that this Government is supporting the police with. That's the difference.Nicola Willis: Is it the Prime Minister's position that the Minister of Police should take no interest in police operational matters relating to how long it takes for a New Zealander to get a police officer to come and see them when they report a crime?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: The Minister of Police has the job of overseeing the police portfolio which means making sure they have the resources they need to do the job. So rather than the last National Government who froze police funding the police Minister's overseeing a $450 million increase in that. We've got 1400 more cops on the front line. The police Minister has the confidence of the Prime Minister because she is overseeing record levels of investment.Nicola Willis: So is it the Prime Minister's position that all the Minister of Police needs to do is sign off on the funding and the press releases and take no interest in the results that are delivered?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: No the Minister of Police takes a great deal of interest in the results that are delivered. For example the results that have been delivered by Operation Bloodhound which was announced today with more than 30 people arrested associated with gangs in the eastern district 30 firearms being taken out of the hands of gang members and associates and large amounts of cash being seized with approximately $100000 taken from a gang headquarters in Napier. That's something that the Minister of Police is taking a significant interest in.Hon Chris Hipkins: Has she seen any reports suggesting that one in eight of New Zealand's police was involved in protecting New Zealand Parliament and has she seen any further criticism that in fact more police should have been involved earlier on in that operation?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: I think all members of the House would be grateful for the role that the New Zealand Police have played throughout the time of COVID-19 and particularly in protecting this building here and the people who work around it. We should be grateful for the role that New Zealand Police are playing.Nicola Willis: Is the Prime Minister aware that the average response time for police has more than doubled and is it seriously her position that this is not a matter the police Minister should take an interest in?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: As I said in answer to earlier questions the police Minister takes her role seriously in making sure that the police have the resources that they need to be able to support and protect New Zealanders.Hon Chris Hipkins: Has the Prime Minister seen reports that the numbers just referred to in the question that she has just answered were taken in the context of a significant COVID-19 outbreak while a number of police—up to one in eight of our police—were involved in protecting New Zealand's Parliament?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: The police force in New Zealand have played a significant role in protecting New Zealanders through COVID-19—that has included not only work at managed isolation and quarantine but also work around borders and also work around this building here. The New Zealand Police Force have had a very difficult job to do through a very stressful time of COVID-19 and we should all be grateful to them.Nicola Willis: Does it concern the Prime Minister that the Leader of the House was able to provide more detail about police response times than the Minister of Police and is this the standard that this Prime Minister is prepared to accept?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: On behalf of the Prime Minister what concerns me is that a National Party who froze police funding who did not provide police with the resources that they need can stand up here in this House today and lecture this Government. This Government is proud of the fact that we've invested for 1400 more cops to be on the front line 700 cops dedicated to organised crime and we're busting up gangs—including Operation Bloodhound that we saw today.Simeon Brown: $2.75 million to the gangs.Nicola Willis: Has she—DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! No. Simeon Brown you will stand withdraw and apologise.Simeon Brown: I withdraw and apologise.Nicola Willis: Has she or her office bothered to even have a conversation with the Minister of Police to encourage her to get across the detail of the significant matter in her portfolio?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: On behalf of the Prime Minister: the Prime Minister and her office engage on a daily basis with Ministers and during those engagements with the Minister of Police I'm sure the Minister and the Prime Minister have shared the fact that we are proud of a New Zealand Police Force that just today has broken up gangs in the Hawke's Bay in the eastern district; that is part of Operation Tauwhiro that seized over 1500 firearms arrested over 1200 people seized over 50 kilograms of methamphetamine and conducted 900 searches under warrant. That is what you get when a Government properly funds the police and doesn't freeze funding for the police."