Harawira Hone: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Harawira Hone: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:641;Page:11211] 
7.  
HONE HARAWIRA (Maori Party—Te Tai Tokerau) 
 to the  
Minister of Police 
: Has she been advised of the statement from Marie Dyhrberg that “the taser is increasingly being deployed against mentally disturbed individuals”; if so what research has been undertaken about the long-term effects of Taser guns on people with mental health problems? 
Hon ANNETTE KING (Minister of Police) 
: 
 I understand that Marie Dyhrberg has made such statements. I am advised by the Ministry of Health that there has not been a considerable body of research done on this issue either here or overseas. However it must be remembered that the Taser trial is designed to discover whether it is a useful non-lethal alternative for police. 
Hone Harawira 
: Would she agree that the reduction in violent offences against the police recorded in the 2006 police annual report from 97 assaults in 1996-97 to only 84 in the 2005-06 year is very positive; in light of this downward trend why has it been necessary to introduce Tasers? 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: Any reduction in assaults on police is very encouraging indeed. However the use of the Taser is not solely for the protection of New Zealand police. In fact in the cases where it has been used it has been for the protection of other individuals or the individuals themselves. 
Hone Harawira 
: What response does the Minister have to the statement made by the operational support manager of the Taser gun trial Superintendent John Rivers at a mediation meeting with the Maori Party that Maori and Pacific Island people are more than half of the subjects of Taser use simply because: “Maori and Pacific people have a greater propensity to commit violent crimes.” and that that comment was not indicative of racism as “there is no racism in policing”? 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: I think the New Zealand Police has gone to incredible lengths in recent years to ensure that the police take a very very good approach to people in the community whether Pakeha Maori Pacific Island Asian or others. A lot of training and a lot of effort have gone into the police to ensure they police for the good of all New Zealanders. I think Police National Headquarters would be very disappointed if that was thought to be the view of the police. I do not believe it is. However that is not to say that there are not individuals in the police as there are in this Parliament who hold different views. 
Hone Harawira 
: Having attended that meeting I heard that quote myself so I will continue and ask whether the view that “Maori and Pacific people have a greater propensity to commit violent crimes.” is a standard part of police officer training; if not what action will be taken to advise Superintendent John Rivers of this position? 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: No I do not believe that that is part of police training. 
Keith Locke 
: I seek leave to table a statement from the New Zealand College of Mental Health Nurses of 1 June 2006 that says nurses are worried about the targeting of individual— 
Document by leave laid on the Table of the House.