Police will be given new powers to conduct random roadside oral fluid drug testing to deter, detect and prosecute drugged drivers in order to save lives, Associate Transport Minister Julie Anne Genter announced today.  

Today’s Independent Policy Conduct Authority (IPCA) report into the 2014 raid on Nicky Hager’s home confirms that Police conduct was wrong and overstepped the clear legal protections that journalists have to defend their sources and provide independent critical voices in our democracy, the Green Party said. “Police have questions to answer about whether journalists from now on can expect to receive better and more lawful treatment than Mr Hager did. Police need to assure all New Zealanders that they are...

The Government needs to urgently address cuts to the Police budget and push resources back into frontline community policing, the Green Party said today. In last month’s Budget, the allocation for Vote Police dropped by one percent from 1.624 billion to 1.609 billion according to the New Zealand Police Association. Police spending peaked in 2010 and has been falling since, down 5.7 percent to 2015 and 11.5 percent out to 2018 in real terms.

Real cuts to Police funding will leave our communities more vulnerable to crime, the Green Party said today. Budget 2015 sees further long-term cuts to police spending. Police spending peaked in 2010 and has been falling since, down 5.7 percent to 2015 and 11.5 percent out to 2018 in real terms. New spending of $164 million spread over four years is not keeping up with rising costs. “Police Budget cuts means we’ll lose more community constables and see less of...