5. Question No. 5—PoliceGREG O'CONNOR (Labour—Ōhāriu) to the Minister of PoliceQuestion No. 5—Police5. GREG O'CONNOR (Labour—Ōhāriu) to the Minister of Police: What actions have the Police taken in response to the eruption on Whakaari / White Island?Hon STUART NASH (Minister of Police): First and foremost all our thoughts are with the families and loved ones affected by yesterday's tragic eruption on Whakaari / White Island. I especially want to acknowledge the families of those who were visiting from far away—Australia the US Great Britain China and Malaysia. We are doing everything we can to find your loved ones and support those who have survived. We grieve with you and we grieve with them. I'm advised that police were alerted at around 2.17 p.m. about the eruption on Whakaari / White Island and immediately commenced a search and rescue operation. Police deployed resources to Whakatāne wharf the local access point for the island. This was also where the first group of tourists reached the shore. Since those initial stages police have deployed 25 additional staff to Whakatāne including iwi and family liaison officers and the police disaster victim identification team. Thirty staff are also supporting this operation around the country. The Police Eagle helicopter was deployed to support the courageous immediate efforts by the rescue helicopter pilots and private operators. With the help of the rescue helicopters and the New Zealand Defence Force aircraft have undertaken a number of reconnaissance flights over the island since the eruption. Police are working alongside the National Emergency Management Agency or NEMA to provide families with information as soon as it becomes available. Police have also set up dedicated phone numbers for both domestic and international callers and have published information on their website. The bottom line is police are doing all they possibly can in what is a tragic and significant event. For now our duty is to return loved ones to their families and as police have said there is much more work to be done.Greg O'Connor: What actions have the police taken to support the families of victims following the eruption on Whakaari / White Island?Hon STUART NASH: Police's role has been to coordinate the search and rescue operation and now to recover those loved ones still on the island. I'm advised that police are currently working with the cruise ship operator and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade to confirm the identities of those who are missing. Police will also be assigning a family liaison officer to the victims survivors and families of those who were on the island. At the request of Police the New Zealand Red Cross has activated the family links website for people wanting to register themselves as safe or register an inquiry about a loved one. Victim Support is also providing their assistance. The police disaster victim identification (DVI) team is assembling in Whakatāne—this team assists in the recovery and identification of human remains. Police have also accepted an offer from the Australian Federal Police to deploy one of their DVI teams. Police followed the international process of disaster victim identification. This does not rely solely on visual identification as experience shows this can result in mistaken identity.Greg O'Connor: What reports has he seen about the support received by the New Zealand Police from other domestic and international agencies and organisations? Hon STUART NASH: I want to acknowledge the courageous local private helicopter operators and the pilots of the local rescue helicopter who were dispatched by St John under urgency. They were the first responders and risked their lives to get the survivors off the island. They really are true heroes. Police are currently being supported by numerous agencies on the ground and I must acknowledge the support from the National Emergency Management Agency the New Zealand Defence Force—who have made every asset available at Police request including the HMNZS Wellington. I would also like to acknowledge local government officials in the Bay of Plenty the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade St John Fire and Emergency New Zealand Coastguard GNS Science and the district health boards and their staff who were all hands-on in assisting victims and the police with their requests. The Australian Federal Police the New South Wales Police Force Work and Income ACC and Air New Zealand are also providing support to victims' families. This is a major nationally coordinated operation and everyone is playing their part. I would like to thank them all on behalf of the New Zealand Government.