5. Police Resourcing—NumbersRON MARK (Deputy Leader—NZ First) to the Prime MinisterPolice Resourcing—Numbers5. RON MARK (Deputy Leader—NZ First) to the Prime Minister: Does he have confidence in his Minister of Police; if so why?Hon PAULA BENNETT (Deputy Prime Minister) on behalf of the Prime Minister: Yes; and for too many reasons to go into at this point.Ron Mark: Further to the Prime Minister's answer to my primary question yesterday when the Minister of Police explained the roll-out of the policy to increase police numbers how many new police officers did she tell him would be on duty on 1 July 2018—would it be 220 or 2?Hon PAULA BENNETT: The Prime Minister would not have that level of detail at the top of his head. You should put that question to the Minister of Police.Ron Mark: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. The question actually asked that when the Minister of Police briefed him did she tell him—and there was the rest of it. It was about the discussion—Mr SPEAKER: Order! The member's question has been addressed. If he wishes to continue with supplementary questions I would suggest he tighten them up a bit and then we can help him.Stuart Nash: Why did he agree to fund only 880 sworn officers when advice from the New Zealand Police itself was that it would need 1165 sworn officers to lift police visibility across the country halt the rise in crime reduce social harm and provide additional reassurance and capacity across rural New Zealand and Auckland."?Hon PAULA BENNETT: Papers that were presented by the then Minister of Police prior to December last year put forward three different proposals. One was for fewer police than what we put forward one was for more and one was at the number that we have landed on. Once digging in the 1125 police are what we consider will address the needs of New Zealand at this time and for the next 4 years.Ron Mark: Did the Minister of Police tell him that of the 880 extra police 116 would be youth aid 66 would be dedicated to family violence leaving only 698 front-line general duty officers to deal with the ever-increasing numbers of bashings burglaries robberies abductions and car thefts; is that the hallmark of an effective Minister of Police?Mr SPEAKER: There are two supplementary questions there. The Minister can address one or both.Hon PAULA BENNETT: Yes because I read the Cabinet paper which is where that member got that information from and that is exactly what was in it.Ron Mark: How can he have confidence in his Minister of Police when she has told him that only 20 police stations will have 24/7 policing coverage leaving 271 police stations around the country that will not have 24/7 coverage?Hon PAULA BENNETT: Because actually the member is counting all 300 police stations and it might be of interest to him that a number of them are already 24/7. So the 20 that were announced yesterday are in addition to the 24/7 stations that are currently there.Ron Mark: How can the Prime Minister have confidence in his Minister of Police when at the same time she is saying that she is increasing police numbers she has allowed the culling of something between 111 and 200 police road-safety staff including highway patrol? When is she going to come clean and admit to the House that those redundancies have happened?Hon PAULA BENNETT: Because the member has simply got his facts wrong.Ron Mark: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. [Interruption]Mr SPEAKER: Order! A point of order has been raised and the point of order will be heard in silence.Ron Mark: Thank you. Then for the benefit—Mr SPEAKER: Order! I will just have the point of order please.Ron Mark: I seek leave to table a statement from the Police Association saying that there was a $26 million dispute—Mr SPEAKER: Order! I just want the source of the statement.Ron Mark: From the Police Association.Mr SPEAKER: Is it a public press release from the Police Association?Ron Mark: I have no idea. I just got it this afternoon.Mr SPEAKER: The member should do further homework before he seeks leave to table such documents.Stuart Nash: I seek leave to table a document that is a ministerial discussion from New Zealand Police titled Talking points on resource Cabinet paper dated 21 December 2016 where the Police state that they need 1165 sworn police for prevention to change the trajectory—Mr SPEAKER: Order! I am receiving interjections that that is publicly available. Can the member confirm that?Stuart Nash: Is it publicly available? So everyone knows—Mr SPEAKER: And I am not putting the leave if it is publicly available."