2. Question No. 2—Prime MinisterRt Hon CHRIS HIPKINS (Leader of the Opposition) to the Prime MinisterQuestion No. 2—Prime Minister2. Rt Hon CHRIS HIPKINS (Leader of the Opposition) to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all of his Government's statements and actions?Rt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON (Prime Minister): Yes I do and especially our announcement of a $1.9 billion investment in Corrections in Budget 2024 so that we can keep New Zealanders safe and we can restore law and order. Budget 2024 will invest an 810-bed extension at Waikeria Prison it'll deliver 685 new front-line stuff it will increase pay for staff and it will extend rehabilitation programmes for prisoners. This comes alongside our wider plan to restore law and order which is about backing police to go after criminal gangs getting more officers on the beat speeding up court processes restoring three strikes legislation establishing youth military academies and a youth serious offender category and capping sentence reductions. We are going to be restoring law and order unlike this last Government and we're going to get New Zealand back on track.Rt Hon Chris Hipkins: Was he aware before his press conference yesterday that the $1.9 billion he was announcing for Waikeria Prison included both operational and capital spending; if so why did he say at the press conference that it was all operating expenditure?Rt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON: As I said to you I'm very proud of the $1.9 billion investment we announced yesterday. As I said we had a bit of a mix-up in communication yesterday—we clarified it very quickly and importantly we are adding another 810 beds to Waikeria Prison we are making sure we have almost 700 new corrections front-line staff they'll be paid well and we're making sure that we can actually get tough on law and order.Rt Hon Chris Hipkins: How much of the $1.9 billion announced yesterday is capital expenditure and how much is operating expenditure?Rt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON: Again in that Budget there is enough to be able to do capital expenditure for expanding the budget for the prison. Importantly there is operating expenditure to make sure that we can pay our staff and hire more corrections officers.Rt Hon Chris Hipkins: Point of order Mr Speaker. The question was pretty straightforward: how much of it was capital spend and how much was operating expenditure? The Prime Minister indicated in his answer to the previous question that he did know the difference between the two and he did know what it was—I'm asking him what it was.Rt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON: I'll just say to that member: he well knows it's about Budget sensitivity. He'll find out on 30 May.Rt Hon Chris Hipkins: Is the announcement that he made yesterday Budget sensitive; if so why has he announced it?Rt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON: The other thing I would add to the member is that as I said yesterday there is commercial sensitivity about two elements of that budget. One is around Waikeria Prison and the build and construction costs and the second piece is around the labour negotiations for staff pay increases.Rt Hon Chris Hipkins: How is revealing the—Rt Hon Winston Peters: Point of order Mr Speaker. My former colleague Steve Maharey wrote a very good article the other day and I suggest that we all read it again because I agree with him. My point is that when you've had your first five questions it goes to the other side well before that. That was the old rule; it should be the rule now.SPEAKER: Yeah well everything moves on—as you know.Rt Hon Chris Hipkins: What is commercially sensitive about releasing the breakdown of capital and operating expenditure from yesterday's announcement?Rt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON: What I said to the member is what is commercially sensitive is the build and the extension of Waikeria Prison.Rt Hon Winston Peters: Thank you very much Mr Speaker.SPEAKER: No problem.Rt Hon Winston Peters: Can I ask the Prime Minister as to whether the new 800 extra prison beds announced yesterday means that the old fishing policy of catch and release" is over?Rt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON: Well absolutely. What is over is actually a Government that has been soft on crime. We have a Government that is going to make sure we restore law and order.Rt Hon Chris Hipkins: Point of order Mr Speaker. Several things Mr Speaker but the first is the point of order that Winston Peters raised before was completely out of order—I'm surprised that you didn't chastise him for that. But the second is that that question is also completely out of order—[Interruption] The question that he's asked is also completely out of order. It certainly wouldn't be able to be authenticated.SPEAKER: Well I'm surprised that you are surprised and surprised further that you thought in even raising the surprise that you have was a point of order. But in the end we do try to keep things flowing as much as we possibly can and I don't want to do anything that disrupts from the members' intense questioning of the Government. Rt Hon Chris Hipkins: What will the annual operating cost of housing 810 additional prisoners be and was that cost included in the $1.9 billion that he announced yesterday?Rt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON: Look I just think it's quite outrageous this member is talking about law and order. Remember what happened in the last Government: 51 percent growth in gangs 33 percent growth in violent crime quadrupling of ram raids doubling of retail crime. You had six years to fix it—you didn't do a thing.Rt Hon Chris Hipkins: Point of order Mr Speaker. I wonder whether you'll allow me to repeat the question seeing as I think the Prime Minister might have missed what the question actually was.SPEAKER: Well one of the interesting things I note is that when the person answering the question answers it's quite audible on the coverage that goes out. But it was not audible when the Prime Minister was answering because of the noise that was coming largely from the member's colleagues. So by all means ask it again and we'll hear the answer in silence.Rt Hon Chris Hipkins: What will the additional annual operating cost of housing 810 additional prisoners be and was that cost included in the $1.9 billion that he announced yesterday?Rt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON: Yes and what I'd say to you is we have a package to support Corrections to make sure that we restore law and order in this country. We are not going to tolerate rising crime like we saw under your previous administration.Chlöe Swarbrick: Thank you Mr Speaker. Does the Prime Minister agree with National Party leader Christopher Luxon who during the 2023 election said that New Zealanders who take MDMA are not criminals?Rt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON: Again what I'd say to you: we are focused on making sure we restore law and order in this country. We have a series of policies to do that. We are making sure that we are going to get tough on law and order we've got three strikes legislation coming back we've got gang law going through this House we're making sure that we're going after serious young offending.Chlöe Swarbrick: Point of order Mr Speaker. That didn't even come close to addressing the question which is about whether there should be criminalisation applied to New Zealanders who are consuming illicit substances.SPEAKER: No no. With respect that was not the question. The question was: did he agree with a statement made by a person who was not a Minister at the time—and therefore it almost didn't stand.Rt Hon Chris Hipkins: Does he consider people who answer 111 calls to be front-line staff?Rt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON: Again it's about making sure that we can deliver for New Zealanders and improve crime outcomes. We want to see lower levels of crime in this country. We're making sure that all of our agencies are focused on 20000 less violent criminals in this country; we want to see a 15 percent reduction in serious young offending. We're focused on the outcomes: we'll get organised to make sure we deliver those outcomes.Rt Hon Chris Hipkins: Point of order Mr Speaker. The Government have made a distinction between front-line staff and back-office staff and have said they won't be cutting any front-line staff. The question that I asked him is pretty straightforward: whether he regards 111 call centre operators as front-line staff. He didn't even address or even come anywhere near the question.SPEAKER: Well I think he came very very very near the question. But the point is—I just point out that it's not reasonable to use the point of order process to try and extract an answer that is suitable or acceptable to the person asking the question. But in this case I will ask the Prime Minister to make another attempt at that question.Rt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON: I expect there will be sufficient resources to man a 111 line.Rt Hon Chris Hipkins: Does he consider the people who man the 111 line to be front-line staff?Rt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON: Again that'll be a decision ultimately operationally for the CEOs to make. But what I make sure is that we'll have front-line services protected."