12. Question No.12—Prime MinisterDAVID SEYMOUR (Leader—ACT) to the Prime MinisterQuestion No.12—Prime Minister12. DAVID SEYMOUR (Leader—ACT) to the Prime Minister: Does she stand by all of her Government's statements and policies?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN (Prime Minister): Yes.David Seymour: Does she stand by her statement on Stephen Colbert in relation to dangerous firearms so we got rid of them"; if so is she aware there were about 20 gang shootings—even the Parliamentary Library could not give a precise number—while she was out of the country?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: The member fails to acknowledge the context in which I made those statements which were a reference firstly to military-style semi-automatic weapons which I would hope that this House would continue to support the removal of tens of thousands of from circulation and the continual removal of them given they are now prohibited. Secondly I've also acknowledged publicly multiple times that New Zealand still has work to do. That is why in this year alone over 500 firearms have been seized by the police. In just the last week they have seized firearms as part of their operations around the recent escalation of gang tensions. It is why we also have a firearms unit now within the Police and we are working on of course the register which the Police Association themselves have said will make a significant difference. I would welcome the support of that member given his concern over gun crime. David Seymour: Does the Prime Minister stand by her statement this morning that she was open to the idea of increasing the civil asset forfeiture regime for gangs using guns; and if so why did the Government not adopt ACT's member's bill that would have done just that just two weeks ago? Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: The member will be aware that we've already been public about the work that we're doing on the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act which is about continuing to put pressure on organised crime through the seizure of assets where they're unable to demonstrate they've been obtained through legitimate funds. We are continuing to work through some of the detail on that and any additional measures which of course as I said this morning we'd be looking to put more detail out in the near future. We've also said that we're open-minded and continue to work on other measures that we believe will make a difference. Here let me be clear: the suggestion in this House that the tension between the Tribesmen and the Killer Beez is somehow to do with a Labour Government is patently wrong. Do we have tensions in our communities right now? Yes but show me an area where we have watered down law when we have done the opposite. We've increased police we've increased the tactical response model we have seized assets and we have seized guns. I would prefer a conversation in this House that is pragmatic about doing something that makes a difference rather than political pot-shots that do nothing to keep our communities safer or support our police. David Seymour: Well to the Prime Minister if the problem hasn't been caused by the Government's policies how can she possibly take the credit for her Government's actions then going to solve it?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: If the member is somehow claiming that we for instance shouldn't have banned military-style semi-automatic weapons that is for him. If the member doesn't support for instance a gun register when the police and Police Association have asked for it for years; if he doesn't support firearm prevention orders—which I note the National Party put up twice in 2014 and again I believe in 2016 and failed to pass—which we are now putting before this House; if the member supports none of those things that is for him. Are they going to solve everything? No but they are all progress in making sure that people are safer. David Seymour: Can the Prime Minister tell the House on what date her Government will introduce a new bill to reform civil asset forfeiture laws and take gangs funds; and if not can she tell the House how many of gangs' illegally imported forearms will be on her new register? Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: Again the member made the same argument about banning military-style semi-automatic weapons. I disagreed with him then and I disagree with him now. If he believes that this country is not safer for having taken 60000 weapons out of circulation then that is for the member. I personally believe it has made a difference as has removing 500 weapons out of the hands of those who would chose to use them for illegal use. The gun register also helps the police track the ownership and movement of guns that are stolen or illegally sold. Now again if the Police Association claim that this is going to make a difference then I would be inclined to believe them. SPEAKER: Order! Order! Before the member asks the next supplementary I am going to ask the Opposition to be quieter in their response and I'm going to implore Mr Goldsmith not to repeat his action. David Seymour: Did the Prime Minister just try to tell New Zealanders they should be glad the situation is not even worse than 23 drive-by shootings in the last fortnight?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: No; what I'm stating is that if the member believes things would be better by not having a gun register firearm prevention orders or 60000 military-style semi-automatic weapons in circulation that is for him. We have not done anything to encourage entice or incentivise what is clearly illegal criminal behaviour by gangs currently in New Zealand. What we have done is increased—Nicole McKee: Point of order Mr Speaker.Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: —I haven't finished—the number of Police who are available—SPEAKER: Now I'm going to warn the member before she starts her point of order that this must be a real point of order and not a disagreement with an answer. If the member's standing up to disagree with an answer then she is being disorderly and if she does it now she's being deliberately disorderly. Does the member want to continue?Nicole McKee: Point of order Mr Speaker. The Prime Minister referred to 60000 military-style semi-automatics that had been removed and this House has already corrected that figure. The incorrect figure has been—SPEAKER: Order! The member will resume her seat. She will now stand and apologise. She is disagreeing with an answer after a specific warning not to. If she was a more experienced member she would be out of the House. Nicole McKee: I apologise Mr Speaker.David Seymour: Is the Prime Minister aware that the official cash rate (OCR) rose a further 0.5 percent while she was out of the country raising the cost of servicing a half-million-dollar mortgage by $250 a week in the past year and if she is aware what—SPEAKER: Order! I'm going to get the member to start his question again—he'll sit down—and to make sure that it's accurate. The member cannot make assertions as part of a supplementary question.David Seymour: A point of order Mr Speaker. I genuinely seek your clarification. Is the problem that I can't give contextual information or that you think I'm giving inaccurate contextual information?SPEAKER: I think what the member is doing is making a link which is not a link and he's calling it a fact. The member will continue with the supplementary now. If we want to have an economics discussion later I'll have it in my room; we're not having it here.David Seymour: Mr Speaker point of order. SPEAKER: I'm going to make it clear to the member: if he argues now he will be finished his supplementaries for the day.David Seymour: No no Mr Speaker; I'm merely seeking your clarification.SPEAKER: Mr Seymour there is no such thing as a point of clarification in this House and the member knows it. Now I'm going to implore the member to ask a supplementary question or to give up.David Seymour: Does the Prime Minister agree that increases in the official cash rate tend to be linked to increases in mortgage rates and if so is she aware that mortgage rates have risen by $250 a week if you consider the interest costs on a half-million-dollar mortgage that increase being over the last year?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: In answer to the first part of the member's question yes I'm aware of the OCR increases. I'm also aware of course that those are decisions for the Reserve Bank.David Seymour: Point of order. The question was whether the Prime Minister was aware that the OCR is often linked to mortgage rates not whether she was aware that the OCR had changed.SPEAKER: Does the member want a further supplementary?David Seymour: Point of order Mr Speaker. I'd like the point of order to be addressed. I don't believe the Prime Minister addressed the question.SPEAKER: Well yes and there is no obligation for me to respond to the member as he knows.David Seymour: If only! Is the Prime Minister aware that $350 is enough for a taxi to the airport and a one-way ticket to Sydney and if that's her response to the cost of living crisis can she tell young New Zealanders why they shouldn't use it for just that?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: I would also add of course that as a Government we recognise the cost of living impacts for low and middle income earners much beyond the $350—it's why for instance we've already had the increases to the family tax credit. It's why we've introduced a reduction in fuel at the pump by 25c and we also extended it. It's why we halved the costs of public transport and why we've extended it for those on a community services card. But it's also why from the moment we came into office we introduced the winter energy payment. It's why we introduced Best Start. It's why we removed school donations and made it free to go to the doctor for under-14s. This entire term in office and prior was focused on reducing the day-to-day costs that New Zealanders experience and focus on increasing incomes. This is not something we've come to in 2022; we've been focused on it for a long time. It does so happen that we are in a very acute period for New Zealanders.David Seymour: Point of order. I seek leave for the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) (Definition of Significant Criminal Activity) Amendment Bill to be introduced and set down for members' order of the day No. 1 tomorrow.SPEAKER: Is there any objection to that action taking place? Yes there is. That concludes oral questions."