14 September 2001 Media Statement

Addressing National's Police Property Neglect

The Police Minister, George Hawkins, said today that the independent report on Auckland police property is part of a nationwide audit of Police property.

The nationwide audit will provide police with an accurate picture of their current resources and help to create a priority list for the spending of $60 million over the next five years.

"There is money available to do necessary work, but first we have to identify problems and then address them in priority order," said Mr Hawkins.

Mr Hawkins said the $60 million committed by this government in the last Budget, will be spent on refurbishing and replacing police stations in order of need.

"It is great news for police throughout the country that we will be spending around $12 million per year for essential work over the next five years.

"In contrast, the National government let police buildings fall into disrepair to pay for INCIS. Between 1996 and 1999, on average, they spent less than one million dollars a year on capital works, on property assets valued in excess of $300 million.

"For example, in 1996/97, just $600,000 was spent on capital works, against property assets worth $333 million dollars.

"Spending levels were far too low. Buildings were neglected but, luckily, this government is prepared to spend the money to clean up the mess," said Mr Hawkins.

ENDS

Spending On Police Capital Works: Last Seven Financial Years.

93/94 94/95 95/96 96/97 97/98 98/99 99/00 00/01
Capital Expenditure ($m) 25 8 14 0.6 1 1 0.3 11

© Scoop Media

Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>