Calder Cam: Policing (Involvement in Local Authority Elections) Amendment Bill — First Reading Second Reading In Committee Third Reading 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Calder Cam: Policing (Involvement in Local Authority Elections) Amendment Bill — First Reading Second Reading In Committee Third Reading 
[Sitting date: 22 June 2010. Volume:664;Page:12049. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
Dr CAM CALDER (National) 
: 
 It is a pleasure to rise and speak on the Policing (Involvement in Local Authority Elections) Amendment Bill. Prior to the last election National promised to remove restrictions on police officers standing as candidates in local authority elections and serving as members. We have a proud record of keeping our promises and this is yet another promise kept. The New Zealand Police Association and the New Zealand Police Managers Guild support the removal of restrictions as does Local Government New Zealand. 
We have heard Opposition members talk at some length about how sad they were that this bill did not go through the select committee process. I understand that in 2008 when the Policing Bill was considered there were only two submissions against this course of action. Police are respected members of our communities. They are doing a sterling job throughout all New Zealand particularly in Manurewa where I am privileged to be based. This Government has backed the police with a quiver of new tools to help them in keeping our communities secure and has added to their numbers. We promised 300 more police in Counties-Manukau by the end of this year and already 240 more uniformed officers have been deployed in that area. 
As respected members of our communities it is only fair and right that police officers be allowed to serve in local government should they so wish. I am thinking now of police sergeant Mike Bailey whom I met in the watchtower in Counties-Manukau at about 3 o’clock in the morning when I went out with an incident car overnight in that area. It became clear to me shortly afterwards that he was not only a hard-working police sergeant but also the chairman of the Manurewa Community Board. It is totally appropriate that men and women of such skill application and passion be able to contribute further to the safety and well-being of our communities by building on the existing strong relationships between the police their organisation and many community groups. 
It is pleasing to note that this bill is now enjoying wide support across the House. It is reasonable at this stage to ask how useful the previous legislation was. Well thinking of the Football World Cup in South Africa it was as useful as a vuvuzela to a Trappist monk or as useful as a dead monkey to an organ-grinder. This legislation was of no use and it is wonderful to see that across the House this has been realised by all parties. With the singular exception of the Greens—who I understand have yet to support any motion concerned with law and order—we have unanimous support for this bill in the House. This bill removes an injustice to serving police officers and allows our communities to benefit from their passion and expertise—the passion and expertise of a highly trained group of men and women. I commend this bill to the House.