Stuart Nash

MP for Napier
Police Spokesperson

MEDIA STATEMENT

25 May 2016

Fall in Police investigations funding must be fixed

Police have been underfunded by $300m for six years while court action in burglaries has fallen and the road toll has risen, says Labour’s Police spokesman Stuart Nash.

“National has underfunded the Police investigations budget by 17 per cent in real terms – that’s an $80m cut. As a result, fewer crimes are getting solved. There’s been a 9 per cent drop in burglary cases taken to court this year, even as burglary numbers have risen by 11 per cent.

“The fall in the road safety budget of $5m coincides with a rising road toll, putting back years of work into getting deaths on the road down.

“This comes at a time when police have been underfunded by $300m since the budget freeze was imposed by this Government.

“Police are struggling to do their job – catch criminals and take them to justice. That’s because they don’t have the money. The Government has to take the pressure off the cops in this Budget.

“Judith Collins must stop grandstanding and ensure the $300m underfunding for the Police is fixed,” says Stuart Nash.

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