Minister of Police Hon. George Hawkins said National's police spokesperson, Brian Neeson, has not checked the water before he dived in the shallow end of the pool.

"When talking about police funding in this year's budget Mr Neeson showed he is certainly out of his depth," George Hawkins said.

"The Government is spending tens of millions of dollars extra in this budget on Police and Mr Neeson is confused.

"He thinks the announcement of extra money on burglary is our total commitment to policing. But he should not judge or compare this Government to that of the impotent effort of the National led government," George Hawkins said.

"The Labour/Alliance Government's total response to policing runs into tens of millions of extra dollars.

"Obviously, this Government is making up for the $24 million cut that National had planned for this year's police budget. This Government will provide extra dollars over the whole stream of Police activities.

"This means in fact, police will have tens of millions of dollars extra this year, not just the $14 million for burglary that Brian Neeson so foolishly commented on.

"Mr Neeson has exposed himself as being ignorant and ill advised," George Hawkins said.

ENDS

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