Police Association delegates, Association life members and staff, representatives from overseas jurisdictions.

Thank you for inviting me here today.

The Police Association has become a strong and respected voice for Police officers and for policing in New Zealand. There is no doubt that frontline sworn and civilian staff are strongly advocated for.

The National Government must accept responsibility for rising rates of crime and unsolved burglaries because it has underfunded Police, Leader of the Opposition Andrew Little says.

“Police are desperately under-resourced and have been told there will be no staffing increases until 2020.

Our roads will be more dangerous after the Police lost $26 million funding for road safety following a scrap with the Transport Agency, Labour’s Police spokesperson Stuart Nash says. 

“Documents obtained by Labour under the Official Information Act show Police sought $986 million funding for the 2015/18 period but only got $960 million after the Transport Agency argued they were entitled to some of that funding.

There are more than 500 fewer General Duties Constables on the beat since John Key promised as Leader of the Opposition to have ‘more police on the beat’, says Labour’s Police spokesman Stuart Nash.

“In 2008 Mr Key told the Police Association ‘we want more police on the beat’ and that ‘we can and we must do better at reducing crime levels and keeping Kiwis safer’.

The Government’s announcement that Serco will pay back some of the profits made from mismanaging our prisons is confirmation that National’s privatisation experiment is a complete failure, says Labour’s Corrections spokesperson Kelvin Davis.

“This shows just how much of a mess Judith Collins created and she should admit it’s failed.

New figures put paid to the Government’s claim that crime levels are falling as burglaries are happening more and more often, says Labour’s Police Spokesperson Stuart Nash.

“Statistics New Zealand released the recorded crime victims’ statistics which show a steady increase in the category of unlawful entry with intent/burglary, break and enter.

John Key’s out-of-court settlement with photographer Bradley Ambrose is incredibly embarrassing and he should have the decency to apologise, Leader of the Opposition Andrew Little says.

“Night after night John Key smeared Bradley Ambrose on television in the middle of a high-profile political campaign. By taking the purely political decision to attack an innocent New Zealand taxpayer he made it difficult for Mr Ambrose to get work.

Judith Collins’ latest cop-out is to blame parents for the appallingly low burglary resolution rates when the reality is police are way too stretched to solve them, says Labour’s Police Spokesman Stuart Nash.

“Ms Collins has got it wrong again, saying in Parliament today the parents of burglars are the reason less than one in 10 robberies are resolved.

The Law and Order Select Committee inquiry into the illegal possession of firearms in New Zealand is welcome but must be robust, timely and deliver solutions that ensure our police are protected, says Labour’s Police spokesman Stuart Nash.

“We need to know how widespread firearm possession is among criminals, and how criminals, including gangs, and those who do not have a licence get hold of guns.

Labour is calling for an independent inquiry into the availability, use and control of guns in New Zealand following the Kawerau Police shootings and the huge haul of firearms and drugs this week.

Labour’s Police spokesperson Stuart Nash says the number of guns confiscated by Police over the past four years has risen by 50 per cent.