The Government needs to think a lot smarter if it is serious about building on National’s strong record of tackling family violence, National’s Justice Spokesperson Mark Mitchell and Social Development Spokesperson Louise Upston say.

“Family violence is one of the most insidious and entrenched social issues in our country, and to break the cycle of offending we need to try new things,” Mr Mitchell says.

“That’s why in 2016 National introduced a $132 million package of reforms, which overhaul family violence laws and the way the system prevents and responds to family violence.

“On top of that, in last year’s Budget we invested $37.2 million into targeted family violence services, including the Integrated Safety Response pilot and the Gang Action Plan pilot.

“As a result of our changes, we’ve seen more people coming forward to report family violence incidents, and Police and courts taking the issue much more seriously. We don’t want to go back to the old days where people would turn a blind eye to family violence.”

Ms Upston says investing in initiatives to combat family violence has always been a priority for National but it was about ensuring that the services were targeted and had proven outcomes to ensure money was always well-spent and to maximum effectiveness.

“This was to ensure that the people who were most in need of our support got it.

“The Government’s Budget announcement today, while headline-grabbing, contains very little detail about where the money will go - other than to 150 service providers. But that’s where the lack of detail is worrying, because we can only assume that each will get a fair distribution – and on that assumption that equates to $140,000 each – so by that definition, the funding isn’t targeted and isn’t going to be spent where it’s needed the most.

“Family violence is a serious issue that we are focussed on resolving but it needs to be recognised that complex intergenerational hardship is often the cause of violence.

“That’s why it’s extremely concerning that Jacinda Ardern and her Government hasn’t committed to retaining either the Social Investment approach or the Better Public Services targets we implemented, including around reducing child harm.

“Our drive has been – and will always be – to root out the source of the problem through sophisticated data-driven risk analysis, followed up with solutions that work for the individual on a case-by-case basis. This is what changes lives and changes futures.”

Latest figures showing that the youth offending rate more than halved over National’s time in office prove that National was on the right track and the new Government’s softer policies will risk undoing the good work, National’s Justice Spokesperson Mark Mitchell says.

“In his first statement on youth justice today, Associate Justice Minister Aupito William Sio celebrated the significant drop in youth offending achieved under the National Government.

“Between 2009/10 and 2016/17, offending for children aged 10-13 years dropped by 59 per cent, while offending by young people aged 12-14 years fell by 63 per cent.

“That’s a result of National’s huge focus on tackling youth offending. Initiatives like the Youth Crime Action Plan, our social investment approach, and the roll out of the Rangatahi Courts have had a real impact.

“Early results have shown that young people who attend Rangatahi Courts committed 14 per cent fewer offences and were 11 per cent less likely to commit a new serious offence in the following year than comparable youth. 

“National’s plan was working, so it’s concerning to hear statements from the Ardern-Peters Government indicating that it wants to go soft on crime.

“We know that there is still a small group of young offenders who are much harder to crack. That’s why we announced a policy during the campaign to introduce a new category of Young Serious Offenders and greater powers for courts to deal with those offenders.

“The challenge for the new Government will be to not only tackle offending by this very serious group of young criminals, but to ensure that the overall youth offending rate continues to trend down.”

An inquiry into the allegations raised in the book Hit and Run undermines our Defence Force, risks New Zealand’s relationship with its defence allies and is ultimately an expensive waste of tax-payer money, National’s Defence spokesperson Mark Mitchell says.

“The Government needs to be very clear about what has influenced it to launch an Inquiry.

“I was alarmed to hear the Attorney General say that ‘continuing controversy’ around the Operation has played a role in his decision. This suggests he has been swayed by a vocal lobby, instead of the facts,” Mr Mitchell says.

“Two of the National Government’s Defence Ministers and the former Prime Minister have already reviewed New Zealand Defence Force evidence of what led to, and occurred, during Operation Burnham in the Baghlan province in Afghanistan.

“Much of it was highly classified and some of it was provided by our international partners in a mark of respect to the NZDF and the New Zealand Government. There was no requirement for them to share this information.

“The evidence shows the basis for the operation met all legal requirements and that it was conducted with the highest level of professionalism.

“Based on the evidence we saw in Government, and the responses to our questions, this Inquiry is unwarranted.

“This was not a political position that we took. Rather, as Ministers of the Crown we acted on the basis of extensive advice and briefings from NZDF who made the same commitments to us as they did publicly.

“Assuming the NZDF has shown this Government the same information they shared with us, I cannot see a basis for an inquiry.

“It will only be a distraction to our Defence Forces at a time when the Government is asking them to engage in major deployments around the world in theaters that present the same risks and challenges that Afghanistan did,” Mr Mitchell says.

The Government needs to stop looking for excuses to go soft on crime and come up with a plan to reduce crime, National’s Justice Spokesperson Mark Mitchell says.

“No doubt the report today from the Prime Minister’s Chief Science Advisor saying that being tough on crime is to blame for rising prison costs and inmate numbers is music to Andrew Little and Grant Robertson's ears.

“They've been looking for excuses to loosen up bail and sentencing laws so that the Government doesn’t have to go ahead with building the new Waikeria prison and can boast about reducing prison numbers.

“But the cost of prisons cannot be an excuse not to put people in prison, if that’s where they need to be. The priority must be to ensure that victims are kept safe from violent criminals.

“We know that the overall crime rate has been decreasing, but a lot of that is due to a reduction in lower-level offending.

“Violent crime has actually gone up four per cent since 2011 and this is largely the type of crime that people get sent to prison for. This is also the type of crime that has the most serious and long-lasting impact on victims’ lives.

“That’s why perpetrators of violent crime must be taken out of our communities and into a place where they can’t hurt others and where they can get rehabilitation.

“Tightening up bail laws was part of ensuring this because we know that a very large number of people go on to commit more crimes and rack up more victims while on bail.

“Part of the reason violent crime has gone up is because there’s been a stronger focus on family violence in the last few years, meaning more people are coming forward to report incidents of family violence and police and the courts are taking the issue more seriously.

“It’s worrying that the Government scrapped National’s target to reduce crime and instead introduced a target to reduce the prison population.

“Surely the measure of success must be to reduce the number of victims, not the number of prisoners, because if we can do the former we achieve the latter.

“It’s time the Government realised that and got on with developing a plan to reduce crime.”

Labour’s coalition partner NZ First has threatened to withhold regional development funding for an important economic development project in Rodney unless local National MP Mark Mitchell ends his advocacy for it and stops criticising NZ First ministers.

In an extraordinary request over the weekend, NZ First MP Jenny Marcroft - who said she was under instruction from a Minister - also requested that National pledge to not ask Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones questions about the project, should it go ahead.

“Ms Marcroft said she had been sent to tell me that the Mahurangi River Restoration Project would be considered for funding from the Government’s Provincial Growth Fund, but for that to happen I would have to end my involvement with it as a local MP.

“Ms Marcroft told me this was because the Government was unhappy with me revealing the illegitimate use of Defence Force aircraft by Defence Minister Ron Mark.

“She also said if I ended my involvement and the money was granted, that they did not want National’s Regional Economic Development spokesperson Paul Goldsmith asking Shane Jones questions about it in Parliament.

“Finally, she implied my work as an Opposition MP would be a factor in funding any projects in my electorate I was involved in.

“I immediately told Ms Marcroft this behaviour was unacceptable, and that she had been put in a very compromised position by her colleague. She refused to name them so I said she had two hours to have the Minister call me before I took the matter further.

“She sent a text message an hour later asking me to forget the conversation.

“But this is rotten politics. It goes to the core of our democratic processes and the National Party will not let such behaviour stand.

“This billion dollar Provincial Growth Fund is taxpayer money and should be used to benefit New Zealanders, not buy an easy ride for the Government nor to try and convince local MPs to stop supporting local projects, because they have annoyed the Government.

“The Prime Minister needs to find out which of her Ministers is attempting to use public money for political gain and she needs to quickly explain what she intends to do about it.”

National Party Justice Spokesperson Mark Mitchell welcomes news that Justice Minister Andrew Little is continuing the work of his predecessor Amy Adams to repeal the one year and one day law as part of the Crimes Amendment Bill.

“Mr Little’s announcement that Cabinet will today discuss a draft bill started in 2017 by then-Justice Minister Amy Adams is good news.

“Ms Adams asked officials in June 2017 to begin work on a number of potential amendments to the Crimes Act, including the repeal of Section 162 that states no one can be held criminally responsible for a death that occurs a year and a day after the cause of death.

“It’s good to see the Government picking up where National left off. The law as it stands doesn’t make sense, as demonstrated by the inability to prosecute anyone for the CTV building collapse. We also know that victims of serious assaults, for example, are able to survive longer because of advances in technology, meaning that perpetrators can avoid liability if their victims die outside the legislated period.

“Ms Adams also sought advice on including the repeal of blasphemous libel in the Crimes Amendment Bill, as well as amending self-defence laws to ensure that a person can claim self-defence even if that person is responding to a threat that is not imminent.

“The latter is particularly relevant to cases involving family violence, where a perpetrator’s behaviour can escalate to the point where victims may feel their life is in danger and the need to take drastic action. I hope that the Government will also continue our work on this.

“Thanks to the previous Government, Mr Little has plenty of opportunities to continue our work to make the justice system work better for New Zealanders.”

Defence Minister Ron Mark has some serious questions to answer over what appears to be totally inappropriate use of NZDF aircraft, National’s Defence spokesman Mark Mitchell says.

“Official Information shows Air Force NH-90 helicopters and a B200 King Air aircraft have repeatedly been diverted to Mr Mark’s hometown, Masterton, apparently to ferry the minister from his home to events around the country and back again,” Mr Mitchell says.

“There is no Royal New Zealand Air Force base in Masterton, which suggests the aircraft are being sent from Ohakea Air Base for the Minister’s personal convenience.

“Mr Mark has even used an NH90 to travel from Masterton to Waiouru and back in the same day – a three hour trip each way by car. Why did he not save the taxpayer the cost and the NZDF the time and use a much cheaper Crown car instead? It’s happening so regularly locals are asking questions about it.

“At a time when the Defence Force is being asked to do more than ever before, while also being asked to tighten its belt and brace for a funding cut it is appalling that the Minister of Defence is using the Air Force as a personal taxi service.

“I want to know why the Minister has either requested this service, or refused to decline it, as he would have known there is no way the flying hours, fuel and cost could be justified.

“This is an incredibly inappropriate use of Defence resources, and I am sure the public would be interested to know why the Minister is opting to use already stretched Defence assets rather than the Ministerial Crown Cars that are available to him.

“Mr Mark needs to front and explain why he thinks his personal convenience is the most appropriate use of taxpayer funded defence resources,” Mr Mitchell says.

Defence Minister Mark Mitchell has extended his deepest condolences to the family of the Special Operations Force soldier who died during a maritime counter-terrorism training exercise off the Coromandel Peninsula this morning.

“I offer the Government’s most sincere sympathies and my own to the soldier’s family. Our thoughts are very much with you at this terrible time,” Mr Mitchell says.

“No words can adequately describe this sudden and tragic loss. Your family member was a man who commanded high respect amongst his fellow soldiers and embodied the Army’s core values of courage, commitment, comradeship and integrity.

”This is a tragedy not only for the family, but for every member of the Defence Force. My thoughts are also with them today.

“I especially acknowledge the loss suffered by our Special Operations Force family and the soldier’s mates at Papakura. As Minister I’ve been supported by the SOF and have witnessed their professionalism on operations and in training.  They take on difficult and demanding tasks and regularly accept significant risk. They do so to serve and protect their fellow New Zealanders.

"I understand there will be a high level of public interest and outpouring of sympathy for the family, but I ask that everyone give family, friends and colleagues the time and space they need to grieve,” Mr Mitchell says.

The annual Minister of Defence Industry Awards of Excellence were presented at the Defence, Industry, National Security Forum in Wellington last night by Defence Minister Mark Mitchell.

“I congratulate the winners, and all the finalists, in the various categories,” Mr Mitchell says.

“They are an outstanding group of companies who have all the skills and deliver the top-class service that is essential for the New Zealand Defence Force to carry out its day-to-day operations.” 

The winners are:

Provision of a service to Defence less than $15 million: Gilbert Sheet Metals (Auckland)

Provision of a product to Defence less than $15 million: PPG Industries

Provision of a product or service to Defence in excess of $15 million: Systematic Software Engineering

Health and Safety Citation: South Pacific Industrial (Northland)

Special Award: Steve Bennett (Airbus New Zealand)

Special Award: Christine Baker (Bidfood)

The award citations are on the Ministry of Defence website:

https://defence.govt.nz/industry-working-with-defence/2017-awards-of-excellence-to-industry/

“These awards recognise industry’s role in supporting Defence throughout the year and the calibre of the winners, and everyone nominated, reflect the high standards of the whole sector,” Mr Mitchell says.

The sector employs around 2,500 people, generates $125 million in wages, and $60 million in revenue, and delivers economic benefits throughout the country with hubs in main centres as well as in Whangarei, Hamilton, Palmerston North, Blenheim and Nelson, Mr Mitchell says.

Nominations for the awards covered some of the wide range of services that support Defence, including information technology, engineering and catering supplies.