Mitchell Mark; Andersen GinnyHon MARK MITCHELL (National—Whangaparāoa): On a lighter note I've had my good friend and colleague Penny Simmonds inform me that we have some VIPs in the House tonight from Stewart Island. I was going to ask a question to the Minister of Police and say: how important is the police officer on Stewart Island and does she remain committed to making sure that they are fully funded and supported?Hon GINNY ANDERSEN (Minister of Police): Thank you very much Madam Chair. Full respect—I don't know the name of the officer on Stewart Island but I would like to say a big thank you for the service you provide in Stewart Island and all the great work you do. Thank you very much.CHAIRPERSON (Hon Jacqui Dean): Members we still have a few minutes.Hon MARK MITCHELL (National—Whangaparāoa): Thank you Madam Chair. Minister Andersen I would like to clarify something with you and it's in terms of the international relationships that the New Zealand Police have. They've got many partners and law enforcement agencies that they work with around the world and they do that because they're focused on keeping our country safe they're focused on shutting down supply chains and they're focused on sharing intelligence. Recently you came out very publicly and criticised them for having met with the Hong Kong police who there has been a longstanding relationship and exchange with. I recognise the fact and the sensitivity around interference in Hong Kong and the way that there was violence involved with the protests there but I would like some direction from her in terms of how much involvement does the Minister and the foreign affairs Minister intend to take in terms of decisions that our police make around law enforcement and the safety and security of our country. And was the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade involved or consulted at all around the decision that was made in terms of the visit and the interaction with the Hong Kong police?Hon GINNY ANDERSEN (Minister of Police): I spoke recently at the transnational organised crime conference and at that conference which New Zealand Police hosted here in Wellington it was really encouraging to see all of those international partners come together. They ranged from a wide range of countries. I know that those relationships not just Five Eyes but further afield provide police here in New Zealand with valuable intel that have led to significant operations—where we've seen encoded apps that are really difficult from a New Zealand technology point of view to be able to understand and get warrants to look at what is going on. That wider cooperation with our transnational organised crime-fighting partners has facilitated quite significant terminations of warrants here in New Zealand.Who police meet with who they talk to and how they share information on how to counter transnational organised crime: that is a matter for police in order to get those relationships in place and to make sure—and organise in conferences such as the one I've referred to—how important it is to keep those relationships warm. So at the time when they are called upon to collaborate—because we are seeing transnational organised criminal groups far more further afield into different countries—it is critical that police have that operational ability to share information and act unilaterally to make sure we shut down those organised criminal groups.CHAIRPERSON (Hon Jacqui Dean): Just before I call the next member I just alert the committee that we have four minutes left.