5. Police Resourcing—Numbers and FundingDARROCH BALL (NZ First) to the Minister of PolicePolice Resourcing—Numbers and Funding5. DARROCH BALL (NZ First) to the Minister of Police: Does she stand by all her statements regarding Police numbers and allocation of Police resources?Hon PAULA BENNETT (Minister of Police): Yes.Darroch Ball: Does she stand by her statement: Deployment of police officers is absolutely at the discretion of the police commissioner and it is not for politicians to be deciding where our police force should be around the country."? Hon PAULA BENNETT: Yes. Darroch Ball: Why then did Minister Tolley stand up in the House yesterday and acknowledge that the Police Association needs more youth aid officers in order to do its job given the pending increase in Youth Court age saying: "That is what this Government intends to do."; or was Minister Tolley in no position to make those guarantees?Hon PAULA BENNETT: It is entirely appropriate to say that we need more youth aid officers if we are putting up the age from 17 to 18. That is not saying where they are going to be deployed which certainly is not the role but to say that we need some more officers is completely within her arc. Darroch Ball: Has the Minister had conversations with the Minister for Social Development promising allocation of personnel to youth aid in order to cope with the increased demands with an increase in the Youth Court age; if not why not? Hon PAULA BENNETT: There have been many conversations through the Cabinet process and Cabinet committees where we were discussing raising the age from 17 to 18 and what that would mean for police resources justice resources and everything else because it will mean a complete change. Mr SPEAKER: Supplementary question Ron Mark. [Interruption] Order!Ron Mark: They love me. Given that the police commissioner told—[Interruption] Shh shh! Given that the police commissioner told the Law and Order Committee that he presented to you a business case for 880 sworn officers and 245 non-sworn officers which was subsequently approved why could you not tell the House last week when I asked you how many new police were being deployed into rural New Zealand—or were you not listening?Hon PAULA BENNETT: Quite clearly this Government has announced that there will be 1125 more police staff. Can the member not read?Ron Mark: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. Does that mean she was not listening?Mr SPEAKER: Order! If the member wishes to—Ron Mark: Supplementary question.Mr SPEAKER: That might improve things. I will give him a supplementary question.Ron Mark: If you received a business case for extra police from the police commissioner as he said you did why can you not tell the House how many police you have funded for places like Northland Horowhenua and Rangitīkei?Mr SPEAKER: The Hon Paula Bennett—without bringing me into the question or the answer.Hon PAULA BENNETT: To the member: it is very clear. Yes the police commissioner obviously put forward a business case. No the police commissioner in that business case did not specify what numbers would be going exactly into what districts—which I have said many times. What will happen now is the police commissioner is out talking to those district commanders doing an analysis of what the needs are in the different areas within their districts and they will then be deploying them as the need is.Ron Mark: Given the high amount of interest in this when you attended your first graduation of police recruits—Wing 303—last week and police told you that the majority of the wing would be deployed to Auckland and Counties Manukau why did you not ask how many were going to provincial New Zealand?Mr SPEAKER: Again I did not attend a graduation service but I will allow the Deputy Prime Minister to answer the question.Hon PAULA BENNETT: I did attend my first graduation last week and what an impressive 39 recruits they were. They are actually going to be going to all districts I believe. I asked each of them actually where they were going and how much they were looking forward to it and they were very proud as were their families.Ron Mark: When the Minister announced the extra 880 new uniformed and 245 non-sworn staff over the next 4 years why did the Minister not tell New Zealand that Police are also laying off 200 police staff this year—or does the gagging order applied to them also apply to the Minister?Hon PAULA BENNETT: I categorically say that 200 police officers will not be laid off this year. The member has his facts completely and utterly wrong and should be careful who he speaks to."