11. Question No. 11—PoliceHon GINNY ANDERSEN (Labour) to the Minister of PoliceQuestion No. 11—Police11. Hon GINNY ANDERSEN (Labour) to the Minister of Police: Does he stand by the statement made by the National Party Police Spokesman the Hon Mark Mitchell that an additional 300 police officers over four years … takes us from a ratio of 480 to 470 to 1"; if so why?Hon CHRIS BISHOP (Leader of the House): Point of order. Sorry to the member—I should have stopped her before she asked her question. We're surprised on the Government benches that this question has been accepted as a primary question. The Minister is not responsible—is not able to stand by statements made by National Party spokespeople. I can't remember the exact question earlier on but you yourself accepted in response to a previous supplementary and point of order exchange that Ministers are responsible for statements as Ministers and they're not able to stand by statements; I think it was the question of Mr Robertson and the Minister of Finance around political party statements. So we are slightly surprised that this question was accepted as a primary question on notice. It could have been worded differently but in the way it's worded currently the Minister is being asked to stand behind a statement made by a political party spokesperson.Hon Kieran McAnulty: Speaking to the point of order? SPEAKER: OK away you go.Hon Kieran McAnulty: This has gone through a process and I understand that it has been amended in order to fit within the rules and it is indeed consistent with supplementary questions which have been allowed already in this question time.SPEAKER: Look the question itself has been modified from what was first brought to the Clerks and—actually now that I look at it it's not modified the way it was meant to be modified. I think if I look at another sheet to make sure that I'm looking at the right one—OK. The point I think here is that the answer to it could well be the suggestion just made by the Leader of the House. So the question is on the sheet. The question will stand. I'll call the Hon Mark Mitchell.Hon MARK MITCHELL (Minister of Police): Well as incoming Minister I was advised that the previous Government had failed to complete work on the ratio announced and had in fact severely underfunded it. I'm committed to the additional 500 police officers agreed in our coalition agreement.Hon Ginny Andersen: Will he guarantee the 1:480 police to population ratio?Hon MARK MITCHELL: Well that is not the coalition's policy; that is the failed outgoing Government's policy. Our policy is to commit to an additional 500 police officers on top of the 1800 police officers that New Zealand First delivered—New Zealand First and National in this coalition Government will now deliver 2300 additional police officers.Hon Ginny Andersen: Does the Government have any policy on police to population ratio?Hon MARK MITCHELL: Well the outgoing Government had a shambolic policy in relation to police to public ratio. The coalition Government has got a very clear and concise policy. We are going to add an additional 500 police officers to the front-line police numbers.Hon Ginny Andersen: Point of order. I don't think that question was actually addressed.SPEAKER: Sorry say that again. There was noise over here from your colleagues.Hon Ginny Andersen: I'd like a point of order. That supplementary question was not addressed by the Minister.SPEAKER: Well in what way was it not addressed? You're not always going to get an answer that is totally satisfactory to the question being asked. That's a long-established factor here. Ask the question again.Hon Ginny Andersen: Does the Government have any policy on police to population ratio?Hon MARK MITCHELL: Again the Government's policy and commitment as a coalition is very clear. We are going to add—net—an additional 500 front-line police officers during the term of this Government.Hon Ginny Andersen: Does he agree with the comment of Christopher Luxon that the funding for additional police comes out of future operating allowances $124 million over four years?Hon MARK MITCHELL: Well the reality is that the books were a shambles under the previous Government. So we've got quite a bit of work to do. The previous Government already underfunded the policy around the 1:480 numbers. So we've made a commitment to the 500 and we will come through with that commitment. But believe me we've got a lot of work to do to tidy up the mess that that Government made.Hon Grant Robertson: Point of order Mr Speaker. I respect the ruling that you made before around whether or not you can expect a particular answer. That question was actually about the source. We can have a debate about the amount which the member had done several times in earlier questions but that was a question about the source of the funding and it wasn't addressed.SPEAKER: Well the police Minister will obviously make submissions to the finance Minister as the member will well know the process to be. Where the funding comes from is not a specific bucket as the member might like to convey.Hon Grant Robertson: Should we ask you the questions because this is a better answer.SPEAKER: Yeah I know—well I could easily agree with you on that but that's not where we're at. The point is that the Minister has answered the way a Minister should.Hon Dr Megan Woods: No he hasn't.SPEAKER: Well that might be your opinion; it's not mine.Hon Ginny Andersen: Will he guarantee there'll be no cuts or reprioritisation to the police budget in order to deliver 500 extra police?Hon MARK MITCHELL: Absolutely I'll make that guarantee. This Government is committed to supporting our front line because it appears not only were they a soft on crime Government; they're a soft on crime Opposition as well. We are committed to supporting our front line. It is a coalition commitment that we will deliver 500 front-line police officers and we will do that."