Live politics 3.3.25
'Insane, to be honest': Luxon's take on Green MP's police comments
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says Green MP Tamatha Paul's comments about beat police, which included the view people feel less safe around them, are "outrageous" and "insane".
"Our police are doing an incredibly good job. I think we've only lifted beat our police at up about 30% from memory when I last saw the data. It's making a huge difference in Auckland Central, making a huge difference in Wellington and also across our major cities. Police are out there doing an incredible good job. So I back our police. They're doing an amazing job protecting and keeping us safe. And she's on a completely in la la land," he said.
On Paul's comments that groups such as the Downtown Community Ministry (referred to as DCM) and the Salvation Army had told her beat police in Wellington were putting rough sleeper's possessions in the bin, he said: "Yeah, what a load of rubbish. I mean, absolutely load of rubbish. I mean, our police are doing a phenomenal job for New Zealanders. They're keeping us safe. They protect and serve.
"I've had dinner on a Friday night with the new recruits coming through our Police College, [they were] awesome people wanting to do the right thing for us, and they're doing a great job. And actually - go talk to people that I talk to in Auckland Central and Wellington here, and also in Christchurch, where they're actually they're actually feeling safer because they actually see the police. It's visible to them, so the police are out on the beat. They're doing what they're asked to do, which is to keep the community safe."
Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters echoed Luxon's comments, telling reporters at Parliament that Paul was "for anarchy".
"Our police are doing an incredibly good job. I think we've only lifted beat our police at up about 30% from memory when I last saw the data. It's making a huge difference in Auckland Central, making a huge difference in Wellington and also across our major cities. Police are out there doing an incredible good job. So I back our police. They're doing an amazing job protecting and keeping us safe. And she's on a completely in la la land," he said.
On Paul's comments that groups such as the Downtown Community Ministry (referred to as DCM) and the Salvation Army had told her beat police in Wellington were putting rough sleeper's possessions in the bin, he said: "Yeah, what a load of rubbish. I mean, absolutely load of rubbish. I mean, our police are doing a phenomenal job for New Zealanders. They're keeping us safe. They protect and serve.
"I've had dinner on a Friday night with the new recruits coming through our Police College, [they were] awesome people wanting to do the right thing for us, and they're doing a great job. And actually - go talk to people that I talk to in Auckland Central and Wellington here, and also in Christchurch, where they're actually they're actually feeling safer because they actually see the police. It's visible to them, so the police are out on the beat. They're doing what they're asked to do, which is to keep the community safe."
Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters echoed Luxon's comments, telling reporters at Parliament that Paul was "for anarchy".