Grant
ROBERTSON
Campaign Spokesperson
24 November 2011 MEDIA STATEMENT
National’s hysteria won’t wash
National's hysterical reaction to the revelation that police have cancelled their intake of new recruits in the new year
shows how desperate they were to stop it going public before the election, says Labour's Campaign Spokesperson Grant
Robertson.
“The fact that recruiting intakes up to March 2012 have been cancelled ---and no decision has been made as to whether
future recruiting will go ahead--- is something the Police Minister hoped would fly under the radar until Phil Goff
challenged John Key.
"Judith Collins and her spin doctors have been forced into damage control mode. They think if they sling enough mud,
they will be able to shift attention from the fact they've been caught out cutting police recruits. But Kiwis won't be
fooled.
"First John Key said it was an operational matter. Then he said all Government departments had to tighten their belts.
Today Judith Collins raced in after a late night call to police denying there was any freeze on recruiting. Then she
admits they have cancelled intakes for the start of next year.
"She keeps changing her story. If it was no big deal, why didn't she just come clean about it when the decision was
made. She only confirmed it after being caught out by Labour.
"No matter how National tries to twist this story, the truth is the police have cancelled recruiting for the start of
next year at least. Police are reported as saying no decision has been made about police recruitment beyond March.
"We also know that National has set targets for police to make 'savings' ranging from 5 to 15 per cent in different
districts. This is when cuts begin to bite into the frontline,” Grant Robertson said.
ENDS