WEBVTT - Mark Mitchell on police trust, protests, and protecting minorities

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<v Speaker 1>Just a quick note. This interview with Mark Mitchell was

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<v Speaker 1>recorded prior to the Tongedito fire Kyota. I'm Chelsea Daniels

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<v Speaker 1>and this is the Front Page, a daily podcast presented

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<v Speaker 1>by the New Zealand Herald. Mark Mitchell has heralded the

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<v Speaker 1>government's promise to be tough on crime. He's been incredibly

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<v Speaker 1>clear from the get go that his primary goal is

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<v Speaker 1>to make New Zealand an uncomfortable place for gangs to operate.

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<v Speaker 1>He holds five portfolios Police Corrections, Emergency Management and Recovery,

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<v Speaker 1>Ethnic Communities, and Sports and Recreation. So how does an

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<v Speaker 1>MP with so many hats feel about how his government

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<v Speaker 1>has tackled the big issues? Today on the Front Page,

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<v Speaker 1>Mitchell joins us to talk cops, corrections and community. So

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<v Speaker 1>first off, Mark, you're very looking, very comfortable.

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<v Speaker 2>Whereabouts are you? I'm a marrying you bay beach.

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<v Speaker 1>Marrying your Bay beach and whereabouts? Just right on the

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<v Speaker 1>beach there.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, I'm sitting right on the beach.

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<v Speaker 3>And this is is the beach that this is the

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<v Speaker 3>when I was a kid, This is.

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<v Speaker 2>Where I grew up in that surf club.

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<v Speaker 3>I don't know if you can see the surf club yeah, yeah,

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<v Speaker 3>that was my surf club, so it's not actually my

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<v Speaker 3>electric because I ran had a tie. I was trying

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<v Speaker 3>to get back up to my pitch, but I ran

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<v Speaker 3>out of time, so I thought I'll go and sit

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<v Speaker 3>down of Marrying your Bay Beach and do the podcast

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<v Speaker 3>and Chelsea down there.

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<v Speaker 1>So Mark, we've seen a scandal this year at the

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<v Speaker 1>top of the police chain. There's no denying that. Are

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<v Speaker 1>you confident the public still has trust in the New

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<v Speaker 1>Zealand Police?

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<v Speaker 3>Well, I hope that they do maintain trusted in New

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<v Speaker 3>Zealand Police because.

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<v Speaker 2>Without a doubt we have got a.

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<v Speaker 3>World clast police force, and the size of the organization

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<v Speaker 3>that we have, there's always going to be the odd

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<v Speaker 3>rotten apple in the barrel. And look how police officers

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<v Speaker 3>are out there every day, you know, with teams of

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<v Speaker 3>thousands of postive actions, protecting and supporting their communities, the communites.

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<v Speaker 2>That they serve.

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<v Speaker 3>And I'd just like to say Chelsea that this week

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<v Speaker 3>I've been to two police Awards ceremonies and probably seventy

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<v Speaker 3>five percent of the awards that I see handed out

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<v Speaker 3>to police officers that have put themselves in danger, saved

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<v Speaker 3>the lives of members of the public. When you see

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<v Speaker 3>bad behavior from a police officer, there's no one feels

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<v Speaker 3>it more deeply than those thousands of both our sworn

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<v Speaker 3>and non sworn staff that are out there actually holding

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<v Speaker 3>to and you know, the values and ideals of our

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<v Speaker 3>New Zealand police. No one feels it more deeply than

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<v Speaker 3>them when there's someone that doesn't hold to those values.

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<v Speaker 1>Is it concerning to you, though, that that rotten or

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<v Speaker 1>if we're talking about rotten apples, that one of the

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<v Speaker 1>rotten apples nearly got the top police job, always in

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<v Speaker 1>contention for the top police job in this country.

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<v Speaker 3>Yeah, that's of course, that's a genuine concern, and I

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<v Speaker 3>acknowledge that.

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<v Speaker 2>All I'd say is that as the incoming police.

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<v Speaker 3>Minister, there with quite a few issues that I had

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<v Speaker 3>to view with and one of them was this case.

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<v Speaker 3>And I'm sorry that I can't talk to the detail

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<v Speaker 3>on a Chelsea but it's actually the case. Although there

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<v Speaker 3>has been a guilty plea put in, that's still before

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<v Speaker 3>the courts for sentencings, so I can't talk to the

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<v Speaker 3>case directly.

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<v Speaker 1>That's a good one. We'll move on to crime statistics.

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<v Speaker 1>They show a sharp drop in alcohol related violent crime.

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<v Speaker 1>Since June twenty twenty four to May this year, the

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<v Speaker 1>fallen alcohol involved offending accounted for actually sixty five percent

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<v Speaker 1>of the total drop in violent offending. Should the government

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<v Speaker 1>do more to curb alcohol related crime? Do you think?

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah? I think that.

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<v Speaker 3>You know, alcohol and drugs have always been a huge

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<v Speaker 3>aggravating factor in terms of the petration and violent crime.

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<v Speaker 3>Education has to continue to be a big part of that.

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<v Speaker 3>You know, the police are obviously run very effective road

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<v Speaker 3>safety programs to make our roads safe.

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<v Speaker 2>You know, we've driven down the rates.

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<v Speaker 3>Of trunk driving significantly, and there's always differently, there's different

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<v Speaker 3>things that police are looking at doing and providing.

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<v Speaker 2>Device Who's justice.

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<v Speaker 3>Officials in terms of how we can continue to make change?

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<v Speaker 3>Is that balance other people's right, the responsible drinkers to.

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<v Speaker 2>Have access to our coholum and be able.

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<v Speaker 3>To enjoy that responsibly against the ones that aren't responsible

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<v Speaker 3>and public safety?

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<v Speaker 1>New Zealand's prison population you'll be aware as hitting record highs,

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<v Speaker 1>is this a good thing or a bad thing?

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<v Speaker 3>Look, I think any society would agree that we don't

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<v Speaker 3>want that. We'd love to not have prisons, and we'd

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<v Speaker 3>love to have everyone that lives in our societies and

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<v Speaker 3>our communities respect one another and not there or.

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<v Speaker 2>Perpetrate violent crime against.

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<v Speaker 3>The people in society that are laura by it. But unfortunately,

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<v Speaker 3>as long as humans have been roaming this earth, that

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<v Speaker 3>hasn't been the case. And so we've been very clear

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<v Speaker 3>as the end couping government that we are prioritizing public

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<v Speaker 3>safety that if we have people in our society and

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<v Speaker 3>our communities that don't want to stick to the laws,

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<v Speaker 3>they want to hurt people, then you know they are

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<v Speaker 3>going to end up and they keep assisting in that

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<v Speaker 3>sort of behavior, then they are going to end up

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<v Speaker 3>in prison in our correction, still, because we want law

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<v Speaker 3>a body citizens to feel safe.

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<v Speaker 1>Does it mean the government's stance on being tough on

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<v Speaker 1>crime is actually working.

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<v Speaker 3>Well, it's working in the sense that the targets that

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<v Speaker 3>we sent into and reduction and victimizations, we've already met that.

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<v Speaker 3>In fact, we've exceeded that. And of course you'd have

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<v Speaker 3>to look at our response as a government, which includes

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<v Speaker 3>increased we've made sentencing much tougher, we have reduced the

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<v Speaker 3>discounts that we're allowed from you know, you've seen discounts

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<v Speaker 3>of seventy eighty percent we get that at forty percent.

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<v Speaker 3>And like I said, just as an incoming government, we

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<v Speaker 3>have and as the three parties as a coalition, as

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<v Speaker 3>a coalition government have been very clear that we are

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<v Speaker 3>prioritizing public safety.

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<v Speaker 1>What if it's working too well? I mean we've already

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<v Speaker 1>hit the population estimates within about ten nine hundred behind bars.

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<v Speaker 1>Will there be more money in the kiddy next year

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<v Speaker 1>to address how many people are actually going to prison?

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<v Speaker 3>Yes, so as of yesterday there is about ten eight

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<v Speaker 3>hundred in the prison muster and corrections to an outstanding

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<v Speaker 3>job that is literally a daily event and to make

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<v Speaker 3>sure that we that everyone is in the right place

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<v Speaker 3>and that we're dealing with capacity and rich and do

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<v Speaker 3>an outstanding job of that. Will the government continue to

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<v Speaker 3>invest into public safety?

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<v Speaker 2>Absolutely, because although there was a cost.

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<v Speaker 3>Of course incarcerating people and having them in the correction system,

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<v Speaker 3>there is a much greater human cost and even the

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<v Speaker 3>economic costs to have them out in society, creating with

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<v Speaker 3>victims and they have it that they create and the

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<v Speaker 3>trail of tears that are often sitting behind that behavior

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<v Speaker 3>and that from offending well.

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<v Speaker 1>Critics argue that prioritizing longer sentences I see does not

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<v Speaker 1>actually reduce reoffending rates. How would you respond to that.

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<v Speaker 3>Well, the only way you're going to reduce reoffending rates

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<v Speaker 3>is when those offenders.

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<v Speaker 2>Genuinely want to change. They genuinely want to.

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<v Speaker 3>Embrace making good decisions. They genuinely want to embrace and

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<v Speaker 3>see what opportunity just for them in this country. They

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<v Speaker 3>genuinely want to embrace the training that is offered and

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<v Speaker 3>the support that's offered them to come back and reintegrate

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<v Speaker 3>with society in a positive way. Ultimately, that is how

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<v Speaker 3>your drive change is each individual wanting to make those

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<v Speaker 3>changes in their lives and not wanting to make bad

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<v Speaker 3>decisions and make allse excuses for those fair decisions.

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<v Speaker 2>All that we can do is.

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<v Speaker 3>A country, in the state is provide them with the

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<v Speaker 3>mechanisms be able.

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<v Speaker 2>To do that. And I know that we've got a

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<v Speaker 2>big focus.

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<v Speaker 3>In fact, we put seventy million dollars additional money into

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<v Speaker 3>rehabilitation programs in our correction services so that we give

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<v Speaker 3>the ability of the best fighting charge and when they

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<v Speaker 3>do come out, they do make good decision. But ultimately, Chelsea,

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<v Speaker 3>it comes down to personal responsibility.

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<v Speaker 2>It comes down to each one.

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<v Speaker 3>Of those individuals wanting to make change, and until they do,

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<v Speaker 3>until they actually want to make change. In my view

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<v Speaker 3>and my opinion and my experience, you can throw all

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<v Speaker 3>the goodwill, all the programs, and all the investment you

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<v Speaker 3>want at those people.

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<v Speaker 2>They will not change until they want to.

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<v Speaker 4>As I've said before, gangs are not nice people. Minison Minture,

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<v Speaker 4>Minister Goldsmith and I campaigned on cracking down on gangs

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<v Speaker 4>and making their life as uncomfortable as possible, and that

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<v Speaker 4>is exactly why we have passed the laws. We have

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<v Speaker 4>to ban all gang patches and insignia in public places

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<v Speaker 4>to empower the police to stop criminal gangs from associating

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<v Speaker 4>and communicating with each other, enabling the courts to issue

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<v Speaker 4>non consulting orders to gang members, and we're ensuring that

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<v Speaker 4>greater weight as given to gang membership at sentencing as well,

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<v Speaker 4>enabling the courts to an act even more severe punishments.

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<v Speaker 1>I remember when you first became police minister, you actually

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<v Speaker 1>offered up you know, you were offering up people your

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<v Speaker 1>personal phone number to see you know, if you do

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<v Speaker 1>want to say, leave a gang, I will personally help you.

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<v Speaker 1>Has anyone taken.

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<v Speaker 4>You up on that offer?

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<v Speaker 2>No? I haven't had any. I guess you're right that

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<v Speaker 2>I have.

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<v Speaker 3>I've headed out my number two gang members that have

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<v Speaker 3>indicated to me that they do want to lead change,

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<v Speaker 3>they do want to make change, especially those gang members

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<v Speaker 3>with families, so that we've because you know, the most

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<v Speaker 3>important thing we can do is break that into generational

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<v Speaker 3>gang membership that impacts so negatively on the children that

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<v Speaker 3>are born into that environment, you know. So yes, of

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<v Speaker 3>course I'm on standby always to help those that genuinely

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<v Speaker 3>want to make change, especially those with children.

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<v Speaker 2>But the flip side of it is is policemeness.

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<v Speaker 3>So I've also been very clear that to help affect

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<v Speaker 3>that change, if we have to make it very difficult

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<v Speaker 3>to be a game member in New Zealan, to be

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<v Speaker 3>part of organized crime, to be part of a group

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<v Speaker 3>that inflicts a massive disproportionate with out of palm on

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<v Speaker 3>our communities. We're going to continue to do that as well,

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<v Speaker 3>and the police are being very effective of doing that.

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<v Speaker 1>How do you reckon the gang patch band's been going.

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<v Speaker 2>It's been hugely successful, it's been very effective. The feedback.

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<v Speaker 3>I've just come from a public meeting right now where

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<v Speaker 3>the feedback and the public's been extremely positive and the

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<v Speaker 3>frontline police office themselves are really enjoying having those powers

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<v Speaker 3>so they can reassert themselves and the public can see

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<v Speaker 3>that our police are controlling the streets and not be

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<v Speaker 3>in that awful position that we were three years ago

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<v Speaker 3>where the gangs. We're controlling the streets where they're coming

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<v Speaker 3>out and taking over public places and timidating them from

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<v Speaker 3>the public, taking over our provincial towns where they were

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<v Speaker 3>shutting down public roads in the public pultn't move Pidston

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<v Speaker 3>Gusiness School. You haven't seen here that in the last

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<v Speaker 3>two years because the police have been so effective and

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<v Speaker 3>putting together gang disruption units and making sure that they're

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<v Speaker 3>proactive and using the new gang legislation. You know, it's

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<v Speaker 3>a good thing that people don't see gang pictures around

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<v Speaker 3>anymore because they're quite silly designed the skier and interiminates people.

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<v Speaker 1>So we'll move on to your capacity as Minister for

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<v Speaker 1>Ethnic Communities, and I know that this is one that

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<v Speaker 1>you probably haven't been asked about as often as your

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<v Speaker 1>your breadth of other portfolios, I suppose, But in that

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<v Speaker 1>capacity you condemned the Destiny Church march against foreign religions

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<v Speaker 1>that was back in June. It's pretty bone chilling to

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<v Speaker 1>see such a display in New Zealand and on our

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<v Speaker 1>streets here. Do you think what's happening overseas? And I'm

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<v Speaker 1>thinking of those images of you know, Nazis walking down

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<v Speaker 1>streets in Melbourne, for example, Do you think that's spilling

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<v Speaker 1>over slowly to New Zealand and are you worried?

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<v Speaker 3>Well, I've working really hard as Minister if the Community

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<v Speaker 3>to fortify itself. There's a company and we've got you know,

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<v Speaker 3>we've got such diversity in our country. We've got leaders

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<v Speaker 3>in every single one of our ethnic communities and our

0:11:58.000 --> 0:12:01.400
<v Speaker 3>faith and religious leaders that completely bind to.

0:12:01.400 --> 0:12:04.520
<v Speaker 2>The fact that we should always protect what is so.

0:12:04.520 --> 0:12:08.280
<v Speaker 3>Fundamentally important to democracy, and that is the freedom protest

0:12:08.480 --> 0:12:11.160
<v Speaker 3>and the freedom of speech. But we can do that

0:12:11.240 --> 0:12:14.520
<v Speaker 3>in a peaceful and tolerant way. And so a big

0:12:14.520 --> 0:12:16.800
<v Speaker 3>part of what I've been doing as Minister of Communities,

0:12:16.840 --> 0:12:19.280
<v Speaker 3>it's working across all of our communities, all of our

0:12:19.280 --> 0:12:23.760
<v Speaker 3>faith leaders, reinforcing that message around social cohesion, making sure

0:12:23.800 --> 0:12:25.720
<v Speaker 3>that we don't see that type of violence start to

0:12:25.840 --> 0:12:28.160
<v Speaker 3>wash up on our own shores here in New Zealand.

0:12:28.960 --> 0:12:31.480
<v Speaker 3>Be mindful of the fact that we will see that

0:12:32.040 --> 0:12:35.679
<v Speaker 3>we've seen so much conflict and the vision around the

0:12:35.720 --> 0:12:37.560
<v Speaker 3>world at the moment that we've got to work extra

0:12:37.640 --> 0:12:40.200
<v Speaker 3>hard and making sure that if we have a community

0:12:40.360 --> 0:12:43.120
<v Speaker 3>and if we have a community in New Zealand that

0:12:43.160 --> 0:12:46.720
<v Speaker 3>feels unsafe or is veehicful, that we rep support around

0:12:46.760 --> 0:12:48.560
<v Speaker 3>them and do that we can to make sure that

0:12:48.600 --> 0:12:50.120
<v Speaker 3>we deal with that as part.

0:12:49.960 --> 0:12:52.760
<v Speaker 1>Of this portfolio. And I guess your role as Police

0:12:52.800 --> 0:12:55.800
<v Speaker 1>minister as well, have you received any advice from your

0:12:55.840 --> 0:12:59.760
<v Speaker 1>Australian counterparts about what the stark rise in this kind

0:12:59.800 --> 0:13:01.280
<v Speaker 1>of happening in Victoria.

0:13:01.800 --> 0:13:03.439
<v Speaker 3>No, I haven't, but we can all see it and

0:13:03.480 --> 0:13:06.440
<v Speaker 3>I had been out to Victoria recently. I was out

0:13:06.480 --> 0:13:08.600
<v Speaker 3>there a month ago with our.

0:13:08.559 --> 0:13:11.800
<v Speaker 2>Permissioner for the for the service of the plan.

0:13:12.240 --> 0:13:16.080
<v Speaker 3>Victorian police officers out there, but you can see it

0:13:16.240 --> 0:13:16.960
<v Speaker 3>out of the streets.

0:13:16.960 --> 0:13:18.480
<v Speaker 2>And of course yes I.

0:13:18.440 --> 0:13:21.880
<v Speaker 3>Came out and condemned Brian Tummocky and the Destiny pursh

0:13:21.960 --> 0:13:24.280
<v Speaker 3>because they have a right to get out there and

0:13:24.360 --> 0:13:28.959
<v Speaker 3>the freedom to protest like everyone does. But that turned

0:13:29.000 --> 0:13:31.880
<v Speaker 3>into really what everyone considered was over violence. When you

0:13:31.920 --> 0:13:37.400
<v Speaker 3>start ripping flags, specifically targeting different communities and stabbing them

0:13:38.320 --> 0:13:41.880
<v Speaker 3>that scares people, that is actually frightening, and so they

0:13:41.920 --> 0:13:45.520
<v Speaker 3>should actually reflect on the way that they are carrying

0:13:45.559 --> 0:13:48.360
<v Speaker 3>out those protests. And that applies to any group in

0:13:48.440 --> 0:13:49.840
<v Speaker 3>New general. There's a way to be able to get

0:13:49.880 --> 0:13:53.360
<v Speaker 3>out there protests, to get your messapacity from without resorting

0:13:53.440 --> 0:13:56.839
<v Speaker 3>this sort of over violent acts and the ripping and

0:13:56.880 --> 0:13:59.400
<v Speaker 3>burning the flags and trying to scare people.

0:14:05.800 --> 0:14:09.520
<v Speaker 5>There is aspects of speech which should not be allowed.

0:14:09.640 --> 0:14:15.880
<v Speaker 5>For example, people who say you should kill Chelsea Daniels.

0:14:15.920 --> 0:14:18.000
<v Speaker 5>She's a very bad person and she deserves it. You

0:14:18.080 --> 0:14:20.120
<v Speaker 5>probably have to edit this out. I mean, that's that's

0:14:20.160 --> 0:14:23.520
<v Speaker 5>my ringtime, all right, that would be wrong and it's

0:14:23.600 --> 0:14:26.880
<v Speaker 5>a horrible thing to say, and arguably incitement. There are

0:14:27.040 --> 0:14:30.840
<v Speaker 5>legitimate restrictions on speech, But what's not a legitimate restriction

0:14:31.000 --> 0:14:36.160
<v Speaker 5>on speech is saying you can't say that because it's

0:14:36.240 --> 0:14:39.200
<v Speaker 5>hateful or it will offend someone or hurt someone's feelings.

0:14:39.240 --> 0:14:42.680
<v Speaker 5>Because as soon as you give someone in society the

0:14:42.840 --> 0:14:47.320
<v Speaker 5>power to enforce that, it becomes impossible to restrain that power.

0:14:50.280 --> 0:14:51.880
<v Speaker 1>Do you think there needs to be better laws in

0:14:52.000 --> 0:14:56.400
<v Speaker 1>place that clearly outlines I guess what determines free speech

0:14:56.480 --> 0:14:59.520
<v Speaker 1>and what determines hate speech, perhaps because that's a really

0:14:59.600 --> 0:15:00.920
<v Speaker 1>tricky area, isn't it.

0:15:01.440 --> 0:15:04.920
<v Speaker 2>Yes, And we shouldn't go down that rabbit hole. That's

0:15:04.960 --> 0:15:08.040
<v Speaker 2>a whole other Well, it is, it is, and the

0:15:08.120 --> 0:15:08.920
<v Speaker 2>reality of it is is.

0:15:08.920 --> 0:15:12.200
<v Speaker 3>That we must protect the freedom to the freet of

0:15:12.240 --> 0:15:14.360
<v Speaker 3>a speech in this country because the minute you try.

0:15:14.200 --> 0:15:15.920
<v Speaker 2>To start to unfringe on that, where do you start?

0:15:15.960 --> 0:15:16.680
<v Speaker 2>Where He's gone?

0:15:18.120 --> 0:15:21.040
<v Speaker 3>And we all have the right to exercise our free speech.

0:15:21.120 --> 0:15:24.680
<v Speaker 3>Destiny Church chose to exercise their right pre speech in

0:15:24.720 --> 0:15:27.200
<v Speaker 3>the way that they did, and I chose to exercise

0:15:27.280 --> 0:15:29.520
<v Speaker 3>my right to pre speech by coming out condemning what

0:15:29.560 --> 0:15:29.800
<v Speaker 3>they did.

0:15:30.040 --> 0:15:33.720
<v Speaker 1>What's been your biggest achievement in any of your portfolio's

0:15:33.800 --> 0:15:35.600
<v Speaker 1>while in governments so far?

0:15:36.280 --> 0:15:38.360
<v Speaker 2>Ah, Look, that's that's a really good question.

0:15:38.600 --> 0:15:40.320
<v Speaker 3>Look, I'm very proud of the work that we're doing

0:15:40.960 --> 0:15:43.240
<v Speaker 3>and the way that our police force has responded to

0:15:44.040 --> 0:15:46.480
<v Speaker 3>our new set of priorities when we came into government.

0:15:46.520 --> 0:15:48.200
<v Speaker 3>I just think the work they're doing, it's quite still

0:15:48.240 --> 0:15:51.040
<v Speaker 3>the outstanding, the anecdotal feedback I get from the public,

0:15:51.400 --> 0:15:54.760
<v Speaker 3>the results that we've seen starting to float through. You know,

0:15:55.200 --> 0:15:57.320
<v Speaker 3>I'm just so proud of what they're doing. And what

0:15:57.400 --> 0:16:01.320
<v Speaker 3>they're achieving emergency men management. You know, I've had nineteen

0:16:01.400 --> 0:16:05.280
<v Speaker 3>local States emergency since i'veig Minister. We are making fundamental

0:16:05.400 --> 0:16:07.000
<v Speaker 3>change in the way that we look at and approach

0:16:07.120 --> 0:16:07.480
<v Speaker 3>these things.

0:16:07.520 --> 0:16:09.960
<v Speaker 2>We've had report after report after.

0:16:09.840 --> 0:16:13.080
<v Speaker 3>Our national States Emergency highlighting the issues that we need

0:16:13.160 --> 0:16:13.640
<v Speaker 3>to change.

0:16:14.000 --> 0:16:16.800
<v Speaker 2>We're doing that. We've got an investment being coming through

0:16:16.840 --> 0:16:18.360
<v Speaker 2>that back to Cabinet.

0:16:18.400 --> 0:16:21.240
<v Speaker 3>We've got new legislation that will provide us a solid

0:16:21.360 --> 0:16:26.600
<v Speaker 3>platform as a country who operates from corrections. Look, without

0:16:26.640 --> 0:16:30.600
<v Speaker 3>a doubt, I am so proud of our correction Service.

0:16:31.280 --> 0:16:33.480
<v Speaker 3>All of our officers that are either in a directions

0:16:33.520 --> 0:16:38.040
<v Speaker 3>facility or out in the community doing community related corrections work.

0:16:37.920 --> 0:16:40.560
<v Speaker 2>With you know, up to twenty five to thirty thousand

0:16:40.600 --> 0:16:41.720
<v Speaker 2>people at any one time.

0:16:42.880 --> 0:16:45.520
<v Speaker 3>That is such a difficult, challenging job, and they're dealing

0:16:45.560 --> 0:16:47.880
<v Speaker 3>with some of the most violent and difficult people that

0:16:48.000 --> 0:16:50.560
<v Speaker 3>we have in society, and there's a tens of thousands

0:16:50.640 --> 0:16:55.280
<v Speaker 3>of positive actions every week. My big focus there is WHAT'SIP.

0:16:55.320 --> 0:16:59.520
<v Speaker 3>We've been the delivery of the rehabilitation and an officer

0:16:59.520 --> 0:17:00.040
<v Speaker 3>of station.

0:17:01.800 --> 0:17:02.560
<v Speaker 2>Doing great work.

0:17:02.600 --> 0:17:06.480
<v Speaker 3>They've launched two products in the last months that to

0:17:06.680 --> 0:17:08.440
<v Speaker 3>trials that are going that are very effective.

0:17:08.440 --> 0:17:11.840
<v Speaker 2>The expect to report back on one of those sports

0:17:11.840 --> 0:17:14.119
<v Speaker 2>and wreck. You know, that's that's a.

0:17:14.119 --> 0:17:18.280
<v Speaker 1>Good I forgot about that one. You've got your juggling

0:17:18.480 --> 0:17:27.200
<v Speaker 1>so many hats, Mark, do you sleep, yes, occasionally, so

0:17:27.320 --> 0:17:29.000
<v Speaker 1>you must be all over the place.

0:17:29.520 --> 0:17:31.200
<v Speaker 2>I've got a great team, and I'm very lucky.

0:17:31.240 --> 0:17:33.240
<v Speaker 3>And I've got a team that's been med the entire

0:17:33.320 --> 0:17:35.920
<v Speaker 3>two years and and I could not do them do that,

0:17:36.200 --> 0:17:37.960
<v Speaker 3>do it without them, And they there right behind me

0:17:38.040 --> 0:17:42.159
<v Speaker 3>the whole time, and they deserve huge recognition and and

0:17:42.359 --> 0:17:46.159
<v Speaker 3>and great chief executives and and you know, so you know,

0:17:46.720 --> 0:17:48.960
<v Speaker 3>I'm very very lucky. And that's that's enabling, and it

0:17:49.240 --> 0:17:53.760
<v Speaker 3>makes a minister's job much easier. I'm just trying to think,

0:17:53.800 --> 0:17:55.879
<v Speaker 3>you've listed out there. We've got police, We've got correction,

0:17:56.119 --> 0:17:58.480
<v Speaker 3>we've got the community.

0:17:59.640 --> 0:18:02.840
<v Speaker 2>It's the Yeah. I mean that they're all just they're

0:18:02.840 --> 0:18:04.280
<v Speaker 2>all fantastic agencies.

0:18:04.359 --> 0:18:07.040
<v Speaker 3>And you know, I have the privilege of having a

0:18:07.080 --> 0:18:10.679
<v Speaker 3>front row seat seen the ten thousands of positive actions.

0:18:10.720 --> 0:18:11.880
<v Speaker 2>I get reports every.

0:18:11.760 --> 0:18:14.840
<v Speaker 3>Week of the outstanding work that our friction cops is

0:18:14.840 --> 0:18:17.080
<v Speaker 3>still is at mounted in prison. A couple of weeks

0:18:17.119 --> 0:18:19.880
<v Speaker 3>ago they saved the life of the prisoner. Like I said,

0:18:19.920 --> 0:18:23.960
<v Speaker 3>I've been at the recently at the Police awards ceremonies,

0:18:24.000 --> 0:18:27.000
<v Speaker 3>and it's and and and Sadly, the only time that

0:18:27.080 --> 0:18:29.119
<v Speaker 3>you often hear about Richard or Police are any of

0:18:29.119 --> 0:18:32.399
<v Speaker 3>these is when there's a negative story running in the media.

0:18:32.400 --> 0:18:33.520
<v Speaker 2>And that's life and I sit that.

0:18:33.680 --> 0:18:36.680
<v Speaker 3>But but you know what, there's just so they do

0:18:36.840 --> 0:18:38.760
<v Speaker 3>so much positive stuff for us in the country, and

0:18:39.119 --> 0:18:41.440
<v Speaker 3>I just think we should be so thankful that that

0:18:41.520 --> 0:18:42.000
<v Speaker 3>we got them.

0:18:42.359 --> 0:18:45.440
<v Speaker 1>Have you started thinking about next year's election yet or

0:18:45.480 --> 0:18:47.679
<v Speaker 1>do you even have time to think that far ahead?

0:18:48.840 --> 0:18:51.560
<v Speaker 3>No, not, not really because there was so much going on.

0:18:51.680 --> 0:18:55.399
<v Speaker 3>They're still we're still doing some major reforms, you know.

0:18:55.560 --> 0:18:57.399
<v Speaker 3>I think we start thinking about the election as we

0:18:57.520 --> 0:19:01.280
<v Speaker 3>move into next year. But right at the moment, especially

0:19:01.359 --> 0:19:03.560
<v Speaker 3>with emergency management. I'll be down to South Orlands for

0:19:03.680 --> 0:19:06.399
<v Speaker 3>last week, you know, with the response and then the

0:19:06.440 --> 0:19:08.800
<v Speaker 3>recovery is just supportant with the response with rot in

0:19:08.840 --> 0:19:09.320
<v Speaker 3>the middle of there.

0:19:09.800 --> 0:19:13.440
<v Speaker 2>Thanks for joining us, Mark say, thank you, Chelsea, thank

0:19:13.480 --> 0:19:14.119
<v Speaker 2>you for having me on.

0:19:17.440 --> 0:19:20.600
<v Speaker 1>That's it for this episode of the Front Page. You

0:19:20.720 --> 0:19:24.600
<v Speaker 1>can read more about today's stories and extensive news coverage

0:19:24.640 --> 0:19:28.680
<v Speaker 1>at enzidherld dot co dot nz. The Front Page is

0:19:28.800 --> 0:19:32.160
<v Speaker 1>produced by Jane Ye and Richard Martin, who is also

0:19:32.400 --> 0:19:36.879
<v Speaker 1>our editor. I'm Chelsea Daniels. Subscribe to the Front Page

0:19:36.920 --> 0:19:40.520
<v Speaker 1>on iHeartRadio or wherever you get your podcasts, and tune

0:19:40.560 --> 0:19:43.560
<v Speaker 1>in tomorrow for another look behind the headlines.