Ardern Jacinda: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Ardern Jacinda: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:660;Page:9039] 
4. 
JACINDA ARDERN (Labour) 
 to the  
Minister of Justice 
: Does he have confidence in the Ministry of Justice? 
Hon SIMON POWER (Minister of Justice) 
: 
 Yes. 
Hon Clayton Cosgrove 
: Mr Speaker—[ 
Interruption 
] 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I say to the Government front bench on this occasion that it is perfectly in order for another member to seek a supplementary question. It was my error that I assumed the question was going to be from Jacinda Ardern. 
Hon Clayton Cosgrove 
: I am sure she is very concerned about being confused with me. Does the Minister stand by his comments from his spokesperson as reported by the New Zealand Press Association yesterday that Judith Collins is “a much better fit” to deal with the Sentencing and Parole Reform Bill because she would be responsible for its implementation? 
Hon SIMON POWER 
: Yes. 
Hon Clayton Cosgrove 
: As the Minister responsible for sentencing can he therefore explain how the police who of course are the principal advisers to the Law and Order Committee will be responsible for implementing in part or in whole the sentencing provisions in the Sentencing and Parole Reform Bill? 
Hon SIMON POWER 
: Yes and the reason is that the “strike” is triggered not by the sentence as was previously the case but by the conviction. Therefore the way in which a charge is laid and the police’s discretion in laying that charge are critical to the operational elements of the new hybrid legislation. 
Hon Clayton Cosgrove 
: Has he sought or received any advice from his justice officials about the level of experience of the police in advising on and partially or wholly implementing a sentencing regime such as that contained in the Sentencing and Parole Reform Bill; if so what was that advice? 
Hon SIMON POWER 
: I have not received advice on the experience of the police in providing advice. 
Hon Clayton Cosgrove 
: No in implementing it. 
Hon SIMON POWER 
: That is what you said. 
Hon Clayton Cosgrove 
: Or implementing the bill. 
Hon SIMON POWER 
: No that is what you said. 
Hon Clayton Cosgrove 
: Can he confirm that the Sentencing and Parole Reform Bill seeks to amend the Sentencing Act 2002 and the Parole Act 2002 that the Minister responsible for both these Acts is the Minister of Justice not the Minister of Police and that the Ministry of Justice is the responsible Government agency not the New Zealand Police; if so why has he as Minister of Justice washed his hands of the bill and why has the Ministry of Justice been blocked from any further involvement in its progress? 
Hon SIMON POWER 
: It was Cabinet that made the decision about who the responsible member would be for the bill. I am utterly satisfied that the position in respect of the police leading what is a highly operational change to the bill is appropriate. I support that and I support the bill. 
Hon Clayton Cosgrove 
: Will the Minister acknowledge the constitutional dangers—[ 
Interruption 
] 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I think some interjections are reasonable but it has just got too noisy. Even though the honourable member has a loud voice I was struggling to hear him then. 
Hon Clayton Cosgrove 
: Will he acknowledge the constitutional dangers in blurring the lines of separation between the roles of the police who arrest and charge people the justice agencies who administer sentencing and the corrections department which incarcerates folk? 
Hon SIMON POWER 
: I concern myself from time to time with constitutional issues like the one that the member outlines which is why I was very confused about the fact that under the previous Government one person was both the Minister of Police and the Minister of Justice.