Hide Rodney: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Hide Rodney: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:624;Page:19366] 
7.  
RODNEY HIDE (Leader—ACT) 
 to the  
Minister of Police 
: What is his response to the south Auckland dairy owner who has been tormented by thieves for over a year who has handed police the names and addresses of the thieves together with video evidence and who has been told by police that it is low priority and no action will be taken? 
Hon GEORGE HAWKINS (Minister of Police) 
: 
 The situation as reported in the media would be totally unsatisfactory and I have told the Commissioner of Police that I expect him to address those issues. 
Rodney Hide 
: On what date did the Minister learn that there were nine complaints of rape—one dating back to Christmas—in his patch of south Auckland yet to be assigned an investigating officer and up to 1500 criminal cases yet to be assigned an investigating officer; does he find that unsatisfactory too? 
Hon GEORGE HAWKINS 
: I find that unassigned cases are something that the commissioner must address and I will talk to him about that. 
Rodney Hide 
: Does the Minister agree with Prime Minister Helen Clark that Sergeant Fogarty was “ill-advised” to write to the south Auckland dairy owner and say that because of “the sheer volume of complaints and limited resources” the police could not investigate the case; if he does agree with her is the problem that the police officer just told the truth? 
Hon GEORGE HAWKINS 
: I agree with the Prime Minister. I must say that the reports in the media are not accurate. A year ago an offender was apprehended for stealing cigarettes. The case was taken to court and the person was prosecuted. The second case of shoplifting involved a pie a sausage and a drink. That person has been trespassed and the person’s name flagged. He will be picked up when he comes to the notice of the police. A third complaint referred to shoplifting and the registration number that was given for the vehicle does not exist. The most recent complaint in February of this year involved the theft of a single bottle of Coke and the police have been given video footage of that theft. 
Rodney Hide 
: I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. I question that. The Minister of Police just gave the answer to my first question. My question concerned the letter that Sergeant Fogarty wrote and whether it was “ill-advised”. I do ask that the Minister of Police—who I know is reading from a prepared script—actually addresses my question and tells me whether he agrees with the Prime Minister that that letter was “ill-advised”. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: The question asked whether the Minister agreed with the Prime Minister. He said he did and then he went on to make other statements. So the question was addressed. 
Rodney Hide 
: My point is therefore to ask whether the Minister of Police is saying that what— 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Would the member like to ask another supplementary question which may be a way to get his question addressed? 
Rodney Hide 
: No. We have a limited number of supplementary questions which is always my complaint. When a Minister does not address a question properly it means that we have to burn up Opposition questions. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: The Minister addressed the member’s question. The answer may not have been satisfactory but the question was addressed. 
Rodney Hide 
: What the Minister of Police has left unclear is this: when he said the letter was ill-advised and then went on to say that the facts were not correct is that the reason the letter was “ill-advised”? 
Madam SPEAKER 
: As I said that is not a point of order. The point of order was whether the Minister addressed the question. The Minister addressed the question though the member may not agree with the answer.