Prime Willow-JeanWILLOW-JEAN PRIME (Labour—Northland): E te Mangai o te Whare tēnā koe. I think that the first observation I want to make is that that last contribution from Simeon Brown seemed to be more about the member's own member's bill that failed to get support in the House than the one that we're actually talking about tonight. So let me bring us to the bill that we are actually talking about tonight and that is the bill of Nicole McKee on the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) (Definition of Significant Criminal Activity) Amendment Bill.The main point that I want to make from listening to all of the contributions tonight which I think that many are missing because they are just wanting to talk to the politics of it all is that I have failed to be convinced that there is actually a need for what this bill is proposing. It is really clear that the bill proposes unnecessary changes because the police can already use legislation that we have the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act to seize assets based off the crime of firearm trafficking which has been the subject of many of the contributions tonight. Illegal firearm trafficking is an offence under section 55E of the Arms Act 1983 and is punishable by up to 10 years. Under the Arms Act it is also unlawful to possess illegal firearms or without the necessary authorisation. So this means that police can already seize unlawful firearms even if the crimes committed—wait for it—are below the thresholds in the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act which is what this bill proposes to do by expanding the definition of significant criminal activity". I haven't heard in any of the contributions tonight anything to convince me that this bill is required to be able to do all of the things that everybody has mentioned.I do just want to acknowledge Dr Emily Henderson my colleague and member of the Justice Committee and neighbour in the Whangārei electorate and the perverse outcome that she described could happen with the hypothetical "Uncle Bob" and "Nephew Billy" in this case. So thank you to Emily who explained for the House what this could mean in practice and I'm sure that's not what any of us wants to actually happen.As I have said I believe the member's bill is unnecessary because we already have legislation which enables our police gives them the tools that they need to address the issues that have been raised even if they don't meet the threshold.In terms of other things that have been raised in the debate to try and strengthen the argument for why this is necessary again you have heard the Minister of Police say the former Minister of Police say and others making contributions that we are already working to amend the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act to introduce new power enabling seizures of assets of those associated with gangs. So we are changing legislation but we are also better resourcing our police to actually be able to do this. So one small amendment in an Act that doesn't have the resources given to it to be able to actually implement it isn't going to be that effective. We are being effective. The Government is committed to protecting our communities and in the last four years alone $500 million of cash and assets has been seized from the gangs.Hon Member: How much?WILLOW-JEAN PRIME: $500 million.Hon Member: $500 million?WILLOW-JEAN PRIME: Yes that's right just in our first term. Introduced in February 2021 Operation Tauwhiro which is a nationally coordinated police operation cracking down on gangs and organised crime has seized 1531 firearms arrested 1255 people seized 53.74 kilograms of methamphetamine and conducted 926 searches under warrant and 634 warrantless searches. The actual initiatives that we have started and that we are funding are working. And in this Budget we have announced that we are going to be doing even more in terms of that with the unit being set up for it this year as well.So just in conclusion as I said at the beginning I've listened to the debate this evening I have not been convinced by any of the contributions that this particular piece of legislation is necessary; in fact there already are the powers that exist to be able to do it. On that basis unfortunately I won't be supporting the bill this evening."