Brown SimeonPUBLIC FINANCE (PROHIBITION ON PROVIDING PUBLIC FUNDS TO GANGS) AMENDMENT BILLFirst ReadingSIMEON BROWN (National—Pakuranga): I move That the Public Finance (Prohibition on Providing Public Funds to Gangs) Amendment Bill be now read a first time. I nominate the Finance and Expenditure Committee to consider the bill. This bill is a bill which is unfortunately needed in New Zealand. It should be a clear principle that taxpayers' funds are not to be provided to gangs who perpetrate violence and misery in our community. But unfortunately under this Government we have seen millions of dollars been taken from the proceeds of crime funds and given to an organisation run by life member of the Mongrel Mob Harry Tam who is then using their money in a dodgy meth rehab programme—millions of dollars going effectively to the Mongrel Mob. So this piece of legislation is unfortunately needed. The reality is we have a gang problem here in New Zealand. We've had a 40 percent increase in gang membership under this Government's watch—a 40 percent increase in gang membership under this Government's watch. And we see it every single day on the streets we see the violence that they perpetrate we see the misery that they create the meth that they peddle and we see the harm that they are causing. But it's not just that which is a problem; we're also seeing how this increase in gang membership is flowing through to this Government taking a closer interest in the gangs. We've had Ministers meeting with gang leaders in the Beehive. Willie Jackson meeting with members of the Black Power. We've had Marama Davidson meeting with members of the Mongrel Mob. We've had the Chief Human Rights Commissioner Paul Hunt going along to a Mongrel Mob gang pad and giving not only a kōrero but giving a donation—a taxpayer-funded donation. He didn't even take the money out of his own pocket—the $200 donation he could have taken it out of his own pocket but he took it out of the pocket of hard-working taxpayers and said Thank you for letting me come and speak at your gang pad." But the icing on the cake of this problem was what came out in the middle of last year which was that this Government took $2.75 million—$2.75 million from the proceeds of crime fund and gave it back to the Mongrel Mob. The reality is as the Police Association said this looks like one of the most successful money-laundering schemes in the history of mankind. The police in Hawke's Bay are hard-working men and women. They work incredibly hard as do our police up and down New Zealand—incredibly hard. And they recently busted the Mongrel Mob and took about $2 million off them—the Mongrel Mob who peddle meth and misery through the Hawke's Bay had $2 million taken off them under the proceeds of crime legislation. And then what happened? They had $2.75 million given back. As the Police Association said it's not only a money-laundering "money-go-round" but they got the money back with interest. They got it back with interest. Nicola Grigg: Inflation!SIMEON BROWN: And with inflation the cost of living going up the inflation rate—they got it back with not only the interest but the inflation. And then it was given to Harry Tam and his organisation to be able to do their dodgy meth rehab programme which they are apparently running at a cost of about $275000 per participant—$275000 per participant. Well I tell you what the good people the volunteers in Victim Support they receive about $400 per person that they assist in New Zealand—$400 per person. Yet the Mongrel Mob gets $275000 for every person they put through their dodgy scheme. And Harry Tam lovely man went on TV and said "PM seems to trust me why don't you?"—"The PM seems to trust me why don't you?" And those sleazy words as they came out his mouth made New Zealanders have some creepy feeling go around their spine as they realised again how much these gangs are causing the misery in our community.But it's not only the Police Association and it's not only the general public who were up in arms about this but also Justice Collins who noted when he was sentencing a number of people in the court in Hawke's Bay how Sonny Smith who is one of the leaders of this programme is also one of the people who is at the centre of peddling meth and misery in Hawke's Bay. So money's going back to the very people who are peddling the misery in the first place. And these people are meant to help to solve that problem. And so that's why this piece of legislation is needed because of a principle which this Government has broken—that public taxpayer funds should not be going to gangs. That is why I'm putting this piece of legislation to the House. I'm calling on all parties in this Parliament to stand up for taxpayers and stand up against gangs in New Zealand and to support this piece of legislation to select committee and ultimately into law.So what this piece of legislation does is it effectively amends the Public Finance Act to make it so that public entities and agencies are prohibited from funding gangs in New Zealand whether indirectly or directly and that they must do due process when assessing funds—where they're going to. It also makes it an offence under section 76 to do just that. As I said at the start it is unfortunate that this has come to this; we should not be in the position where Parliament needs to be passing legislation to point out what quite frankly should be obvious—and is obvious—to New Zealanders up and down the country. As the Police Association said "It looks like money laundering." Well it is money laundering—taking with one hand giving back with the other.So my challenge to the Government members tonight—my challenge to the Government members tonight—is will they stand with New Zealanders who are sick and tired of the increased gang presence that they're seeing in New Zealand the 40-percent increase in gang membership under this Government over 8000 gang members in New Zealand. Will they stand with New Zealanders and send a message that they will be actually taking some action to try and address this issue or will they stand with Harry Tam? Will they stand with Harry Tam when he said "Jacinda Ardern seems to trust me so why don't you?" Well the Prime Minister I think was reportedly saying "It doesn't matter what I do because I've had that label"—sorry Jacinda Ardern responded to that basically trying to brush it off by not really wanting to draw on whether she trusted Harry. But the real test is actually tonight with the Labour Party's vote as to whether she also trusts Harry. Does the Prime Minister does the Labour Party—do they trust the Mongrel Mob with taxpayers' money or will they actually vote tonight to send a very clear message that this is unacceptable that it should be stopped and that this should never happen again?So my challenge to them is put this to a select committee; let the public have their say; send a clear message and make sure that the law is tidied up once and for all. But I have a funny feeling that they're not going to but I hope not. I hope that they will stand with New Zealanders—Chris Bishop: Greg O'Connor wants to vote for it.SIMEON BROWN: —do the right thing. I know—Greg O'Connor former president of the Police Association. Chris Cahill the current president of the Police Association came out slamming this $2.75 million. He put out a press release against a funding decision the Government made. It's not often the Police Association put out press releases like that. The Police Association are incredibly reasonable and they make very considered statements and they objected fully to this. So I ask the Government and I ask all members of the Parliament to vote for this bill send it to select committee and send a very clear message that no taxpayer money should be funding gangs here in New Zealand. I commend the bill to the House."