Police Cost Recovery Bill Gets Grudging Support

A bill allowing the police to recover the costs for some of their services has been sent to select committee though it faces opposition.

Anne Tolley said the Policing (Cost Recovery) Amendment Bill would allow the police to allow some cost recover for some of their services. These would be “demand” services such as those requested for the benefit of an individual or organisation such as vetting services. Some work would be exempt from any charges. The only cost recovery proposed at the moment is for vetting services.

Labour’s Phil Goff said he originally thought he would be supportive of the bill as it made sense for police to be able to recover costs from policing a sports or entertainment event.

However the bill said the only service to be charged was vetting services which was needed to maintain public safety in checking the character of those teaching or looking after children. This would put costs on organisations which could not afford it.

Other Labour MPs said they would support the bill to select committee, but they were not satisfied with parts of the bill and had many questions about it.

NZ First also supported the bill to select committee, but said its support was conditional. The Greens also expressed concerns and voted against the bill.

The bill was sent to the Law and Order Committee for consideration by 105 to 16 with the Green and Maori Party opposed.

The Trade (Safeguard Measures) Bill also completed its third reading.

The bill which sets up a new goods dumping regulation regime was introduced in 2008 and passed on a voice vote.

The Social Assistance (Portability to Cook Islands, Niue, and Tokelau) Bill was given its first reading.

The bill allows those eligible for New Zealand Superannuation or a Veteran’s Pension payments to live in the island nations concerned on a more a flexible basis than applied to other countries and receive the payments.

The bill was sent to the Social Services Committee on a voice vote.

The House rose at 10pm interrupting the first reading debate of the Gambling Amendment Bill (No 3.

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