Hawkins George: Financial Review Debate — In Committee 
Hawkins George: Financial Review Debate — In Committee 
[Volume:624;Page:19493] 
Hon GEORGE HAWKINS (Minister of Police) 
: 
 It is very funny that National Party members have forgotten what it was like when they were in power—when Tony Ryall was a member of a Cabinet that aimed to take out $45 million and up to 540 jobs from the police. That is what he was on about. He voted in that way. He went for the Martin report and now he wants to forget that. Well we will not let him forget. In the end Tony Ryall was a part of that and now he tries to pretend that it is all different. 
I remind Tony Ryall and I remind Greg O’Connor from the Police Association of what police cars were like under the previous National Government when the police up north had trouble in getting a warrant of fitness. They could not get a warrant of fitness for their cars but they had to drive them around. We had police cars that had coat-hangers for aerials under National. That is what National supplied. In the end National really let the country down. In one year it spent only $4.5 million on police cars whereas we are spending around $30 million per year. National used to spend around $720000 per year on new buildings. Over the last 3 or 4 years of the previous National Government $720000 to $740000 a year was spent on new buildings. This Government is spending over $70 million in 5 years. Greg O’Connor and Tony Ryall forget about that and Rodney Hide never knew about it. 
Darren Hughes 
: Rodney Hide’s a joke. 
Hon GEORGE HAWKINS 
: Well some people call him a joke. I think that he needs to be reminded of exactly what things were like. 
The police used to receive just over $800 million from the National Government; they now receive over $1 billion a year. This Government has made sure that the police are resourced far better than they were before. National was going to take away 540 jobs. How many new jobs have we put in? We have put in over 1000 new police jobs and that has made a huge difference to policing. How many files would be unallocated in Counties-Manukau if National had had its way and got rid of 540 jobs? 
Rodney Hide 
: How would the member know? 
Hon GEORGE HAWKINS 
: There he is—Rodney Hide who thinks that the dairy owner is right next to my electorate office. I am sorry but it was the wrong electorate. Rodney Hide got it wrong. Rodney Hide and Mr Garner from TV3 are so close together but what Mr Garner forgets is that Rodney Hide will not be here after the next election. Rodney Hide will be gone. He will be one of those people who will be living in a safer community because the Labour Government has made it safer. And it does not matter how much National Party members squawk. When National was in power there were 96000 burglaries a year; now the rate is under 60000. This is a good Government. It has resourced the police and there are fewer burglaries. Then those members grizzle that the roads are being properly policed for the first time. We are making sure that the police are out on the roads and that they are seen there. 
Dr Richard Worth 
: And the traffic cars! 
Hon GEORGE HAWKINS 
: Yes we have traffic cars out there. National members should go and tell the parents of the four kids who lost their lives on the weekend that we have enough traffic cars. 
I have to say that we have moved more for the police than any other party has in recent years—far more. Everyone else but National knows that. 
Hon Tony Ryall 
: Enjoy the last couple of months. 
Hon GEORGE HAWKINS 
: Well I will enjoy it because I know that we are doing a good job and that that member will enjoy sitting on the Opposition benches for a long long while. Mr Ryall will be over there sitting on the Opposition benches because people will remember what it was like under him—a former Minister of Justice who wanted police jobs to be cut. He wanted to lose police jobs and in the end people knew that he was not up to it.