The New Zealand First Leader and MP for Tauranga, Rt Hon Winston Peters, is concerned that he has been denied access to the Tauranga Police station. He has been told that if he wants to talk to Tauranga police about crime and restructuring that he will have to have the express permission of the Minister of Police.

Mr Peters called on the Tauranga Police Station this morning to see how staff are coping with restructuring, but was told that he would have to ask Mr Simich before talking to staff.

“It is an outrage that I be effectively barred from the police station. I am the Member of Parliament for Tauranga, and I am concerned about how police restructuring is affecting the safety of people in my electorate.

“Earlier this month I complained to the Police that my hoardings had been the target of vandalism. I was told that local police would like to speak with me on this matter and other issues such as police resourcing in Tauranga. I have done this many times in the past and I am suspicious of why I have been stopped from doing so now.

“When I was Treasurer I increased the number of police on the street by 500, and increased crime prevention spending. It now looks like the National Government will be stripping those police out of Tauranga, and I am very worried about this.

“When you have to ask the Minister of Police permission to visit your own Police Station as an MP, then it is clear that the National Party wants to shut down all meaningful communication about policing,” concluded Mr Peters.

ENDS

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