Ryall Tony: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Ryall Tony: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:610;Page:7909] 
9.  
Hon TONY RYALL (NZ National—Bay of Plenty) 
 to the  
Minister of Police 
: What reports has he received from the Commissioner of Police regarding investigations into hidden speed cameras? 
Hon GEORGE HAWKINS (Minister of Police) 
: 
 The commissioner and I regularly discuss a whole range of issues and ideas to reduce crime and bring down the road toll. Specifically on 18 February 2002 the commissioner provided me with a briefing on a report from the speed camera programme by the Office of the Controller and Auditor-General. 
Hon Tony Ryall 
: Why is the Government considering a return to hidden speed cameras when the previous Minister of Transport scrapped hidden cameras in the Waikato - Bay of Plenty region because the pilot programme had not cut speeding or reduced the number of road deaths; or is this just another way of meeting the Government’s target of a 30 percent increase in the number of speeding tickets to be issued by police officers this year? 
Hon GEORGE HAWKINS 
: The reason the Minister of Transport is having his officials from the National Road Safety Committee look at the issue is to try to reduce the numbers of those crashes and victims of road accidents. 
Mahara Okeroa 
: Why would police investigate the use of hidden speed cameras? 
Hon GEORGE HAWKINS 
: As members of the National Road Safety Committee the police alongside other agencies are looking at a whole range of options towards reducing the road toll. Ideas include strategies to target drink-drivers and excess speed and increased compliance in the use of restraints. This is about saving lives not generating revenue—and we know it works. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: Was speeding a factor in the recent case when a mental health patient was detained in an Auckland police cell and subsequently died there despite the fact that a bed was available at the Mason Clinic and the Director of Mental Health at Waitakere in Auckland did not send that young person there? 
Hon GEORGE HAWKINS 
: I do not have that information with me; the original question was about hidden speed cameras. There are none at the moment. 
Dr Muriel Newman 
: Does the Minister accept that the people who pay the fines are hard-working responsible citizens while the ratbags who are the real danger on the roads and who owe almost $500 million in outstanding fines—a half of all fines collected—get away scot-free without having to pay? 
Hon GEORGE HAWKINS 
: I think the best way to not pay fines is not to break the law. 
Hon Tony Ryall 
: Has the Minister bothered to inform his Cabinet colleagues or the Minister of Transport of the comments of Mr Gosche the previous Minister of Transport who advised that he ordered an end to hidden speed cameras because the pilot programme did not cut speeds or the number of road deaths; or is the Minister intent on increasing the amount of revenue gathered from motorists? 
Hon GEORGE HAWKINS 
: Hidden speed cameras were introduced by the National Government of the day. We decided that a more highly visible highway patrol would have a very good effect. It has but we are not so silly as not to look at all the options for making our roads a lot safer. 
Hon Tony Ryall 
: I seek leave to table a report that gives the comments of Mr Gosche advising that he scrapped hidden speed cameras because they did not work. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that report. Is there any objection? There is.