9. Question No. 9—PoliceSIMEON BROWN (National—Pakuranga) to the Minister of PoliceQuestion No. 9—Police9. SIMEON BROWN (National—Pakuranga) to the Minister of Police: Does she stand by her commitment to achieve the Striving Towards 1800 New Police initiative; if so when will she achieve this initiative?Hon POTO WILLIAMS (Minister of Police): Yes. This Government has invested $450 million in police since we came to office. We've already delivered our initial commitment of 1800 new police officers and are well on our way to meet our growth target of 1800 over five years. As a result of this Government's investment the total police workforce is the largest it has ever been surpassing 14000.Simeon Brown: Does she stand by her statement low attrition numbers in recent years meant less of a need for … recruits." and how does she reconcile this with a 48 percent increase in gang membership since Labour came to office?Hon POTO WILLIAMS: What I do agree with—SPEAKER: No—order! The member will resume her seat. There's got to be a relationship between the parts of the question.Simeon Brown: Point of order—speaking to the point of order or point of order. The question was around low attrition numbers. It was a direct quote related to the fact that the 1800 hasn't been achieved yet.SPEAKER: No the attrition numbers are fine. It's the last bit of the supplementary question which doesn't relate which the member was able to relate to either the primary question or the primary answer.Chris Bishop: Point of order. The supplementary question had two legs asking the Minister to reconcile two particular contradictory facts. The Minister is more than capable of answering that and—SPEAKER: I'm absolutely clear that the Minister is capable of answering it. The question is whether it is in order and I have ruled that it's not.Simeon Brown: Can I start that one again Mr Speaker?SPEAKER: You can start another supplementary question.Simeon Brown: Oh another one is it? OK. Does she stand by her answer to oral questions that the Government has delivered 700 police officers focused on organised crime and if so on what date did the Government deliver on the 700 focused on organised crime?Hon POTO WILLIAMS: I stand by my statement that we are recruiting. We have recruited far more police than ever before and part of that is an allocation of 700 directed to organised crime.Simeon Brown: Point of order. The question was: on what date did the Government deliver on it? The quote was around the fact that she says she's delivered it and I was asking the question: on what date did they deliver it?Hon Grant Robertson: Speaking to the point of order Mr Speaker. It's a long established practice in the House that supplementary questions will be one question not two questions. She answered the first one.SPEAKER: Absolutely right; the member put two legs in. There's no obligation to address both of the legs—either of them will do and the Minister certainly did.Simeon Brown: On what date did the Government deliver on the 700 new police focused on organised crime?Hon POTO WILLIAMS: As I just answered we have already met our targets in terms of the 1800 new police officers and we're working towards our target to meet 1800 growth. Included in that are 700 officers dedicated to organised crime.Hon Stuart Nash: Has the Minister seen reports that in the last five years of the previous National Government police numbers actually fell and yet in the first term of this Government 2300—SPEAKER: Order! [Interruption] Order! As I indicated to the member earlier it's not that hard to do a supplementary of that type and get it in order. If the member wants to get some advice at some stage like all members of the House he is welcome to come to my office to learn how to phrase a supplementary question but that doesn't do it."