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News

Desperate Ryall short on facts

George Hawkins

22.08.2005

Police Minister George Hawkins is dismissing the latest barrage of misinformation from National’s Tony Ryall as a pathetic attempt to scare New Zealanders into voting for his failing party.

“Ryall has no answer to the fact that New Zealand’s crime rate has fallen dramatically since Labour has been in government,” said Mr Hawkins. “We have given Police the resources necessary to make our homes, communities and roads safer than they have been in decades.

“This Government has increased the Police budget to over a billion dollars and is increasing staffing to over 10,000, which is an increase of almost 1300 since 1999.

“The crime rate fell 8.2 per cent last year and is now the lowest since 1982; the Police resolution rate is the best since 1987 and our road tolls are down to the levels last seen in the 1960s.

“Ryall is being disingenuous in claiming that we haven’t created enough ‘front line’ positions over the last six years. He obviously isn’t counting the officers who see front line duty on our roads and all those others who close down drug labs, cut burglaries and catch crims every day through forensic and investigative work.

“Even in the hugely competitive labour market that our economic policies have created, there are waiting lists to join the Police in many areas.

“The last time Ryall sat round a cabinet table he and his colleagues agreed to slash 540 Police jobs. He should apologise to police and to all New Zealanders for that, before offering this Government advice on recruitment."

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