16 November 2017

Labour confused about the cost of extra police

In what is becoming a concerning pattern of the new Government, Labour has created fresh confusion about the cost of their promised 1800 additional police, National Party Police Spokesperson Chris Bishop says.

“Who is correct? Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern when she said on October 24 that the 1800 additional police would cost “a total figure of $100 million”, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern when she said later that same day that the 1800 additional police would cost $40 million, or Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern when she said on October 30 that the 1800 additional police would cost “about an extra $80 million”?” Mr Bishop says.

“When the National-led Government announced an extra 1125 police staff, it was at a cost of $503 million over four years so it’s difficult to see how the Prime Minister came up with these numbers.

“To add to the confusion, today in the House Kelvin Davis was forced to correct his own statement from earlier in the week that the costs had been finalised at $40 million. Justice Minister Andrew Little then admitted that the Government actually has no idea what the cost will be.

“Clearly he, the Prime Minister, and Police Minister Stuart Nash have been making it up as they go along.

“It’s also unfathomable that they’d make a commitment to 1800 new police officers as part of the coalition negotiations without having any idea about the cost of the policy.

“It’s time Labour figured out the cost of this policy and fronted up to New Zealanders, instead of throwing around a bunch of random numbers hoping no one will notice.”

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