Hawkins George: Estimates Debate — In Committee Procedure 
Hawkins George: Estimates Debate — In Committee Procedure 
[Volume:618;Page:14423] 
Hon GEORGE HAWKINS (Minister of Police) 
: 
 We have heard another case of exaggeration—a wee bit like that member’s CV that used to circulate around the place. I must bring it down to the House and table it again just to remind people that that person is always into fiction. He is probably related to—a direct descendant of possibly—Hans Christian Andersen. They are fairy tales. 
I just want to put a few facts. The amount of violent crime increased by 77 percent between 1990 and 1999. I tell Mr Connell it was 77 percent and he should listen. Violent crime has risen just 15 percent since we became the Government. Overall recorded crime rose 16.6 percent from 1990 to its peak in 1996. That was a huge increase. That is National’s record. Our record of course has been far better. I say to the member that under National crimes reached 477000 and last year there were 442000—and that number is dropping. I know that that member does not have the nous to be able to work that out but if he had a calculator he could work out that crime is dropping. But the rate of crime is also dropping. 
What did the National Party Government do when it was trying to look after the police? It had a computer scheme called INCIS which took all the money so National could not build new police stations like those Clayton Cosgrove has in his area. That Government spent only $720000 on capital works at police stations in each of the last 3 years it was in power. This Government is spending well over $70 million in 5 years—$70 million compared with $720000. See the difference! When it came to police cars what happened? One year the previous Government spent only $4 million on police cars—just $4.7 million. How much is this Government spending this year? We are spending some $29 million. 
We have settled the police wage round for the next 3 years. The police are not marching on Parliament as they did when National was in power. The police marched on Parliament in huge numbers because they could not get a fair deal from that Government. What that Government was doing was cutting police numbers by 540 as part of the Martin review.The numbers were going down. The numbers of non-sworn staff were also going down. We had immediately to inject extra money. I know that my colleagues now call me the “Billion-dollar Minister” because I got a billion dollars for the police in the Budget. It was the first time that had ever happened. What happened under National? The amount was just over $850 million. It was pitiful. National members were not prepared to put the money where they said they would. National members say we need more police but the reality is the National Government cut the numbers. 
I can tell members of some very good results on the North Shore. I heard last week that household burglaries on the North Shore have gone down by 54 percent over 3 years. That is great. I have been to Wanganui and the crime rate there has dropped by 34 percent since Labour has been in Government. There is always good news. But of course what do those negative members do? They put the boot into the cops and say they are not catching enough criminals. Well they are catching more than ever. Under National 29 percent of crimes were resolved. What is it under Labour? It is 43.7 percent and it will probably rise. That is one of the best results anywhere in like countries around the world. We have more police more equipment and better laws. DNA sampling is actually helping us to catch more criminals and some of the crimes have been serious. Burglary suspects now have to give DNA samples. 
Hon John Tamihere 
: Boy racers. 
Hon GEORGE HAWKINS 
: What happened there? A problem has been solved. I have to say my good friend and colleague Clayton Cosgrove did an excellent job. I went down to Christchurch with him and saw the haul of cars that had been taken from young people. This Government moves; it addresses problems. I have to say we have a different police force from the one under National and under the National - New Zealand First coalition where the idea was to cut money. They tried it and they did.