Auckland Police doing an outstanding job with limited resources
A recent poll in the New Zealand Herald indicated that Aucklander's concern over crime came at a distant second to traffic congestion. It is quite a coincidence that the latest crime statistics paint the city in a positive light.
Last year's recorded crime dropped 11.8% in the Auckland District, and our Police officers are working hard to keep us safe while staffing is often at minimal levels.
Auckland Police deserve a massive pat on the back for their hard work - in the city, there are 16 Police officers per 10,000 people. That is below the national average of 18, 22 in New South Wales in Australia, and 25 in the United Kingdom.
While our population continues to grow, our Police are doing the same job, with the same numbers and same resources. This year, in the Labour Government's budget, there was no extra money put aside to get more Police officers out on the beat - where it counts.
The crime statistics are divided into the seven categories of violence, sexual offences, drugs and anti-social offences, dishonesty, property damage, property abuses and administrative crime.
Of the 56, 686 reported crimes for the year ending 30 June 2004, 38,007 of those were for dishonesty - that includes 18,410 incidents of theft, and 9,332 of burglary.
7,640 crimes were related to drugs & anti-social offences, with 4,735 reports of violence.
The victims of burglary and theft can draw little comfort when it comes to resolving those crimes. Last year, only 9% of burglaries are solved, and 12.3% of thefts. Less than 50% of robberies, immoral behaviour, sexual affronts, fraud and destruction of property were solved.
That is why National proposes to give Police more tools to do their work.
Proposals like requiring DNA testing of every convicted criminal being added to a database and requiring gangs to prove their property is accumulated from legitimate sources will send a message that crime does not pay.
Our hard working and often stretched Police force deserve this kind of support.
What do you think of the latest crime statistics? Do you feel safe in the city?
Send your thoughts to: pansy.wong@national.org.nz
Extending Asian Relationships
Currently, I am in China attending an International Conference on Asian Political Parties with my colleague Georgina Te Heuheu.
I feel very privileged, as New Zealand's first Member of Parliament of Asian ethnicity, to be represented at the conference, and I am looking forward to contributing to the discussion that will enhance political confidence, social interactions and economic co-operation in Asia.
Our relationship with Asia has received strong support from both sides of the House, and it is important to extend that connection beyond economic terms.
One of the biggest challenges facing us is to engage our people in understanding the importance of these relationships.
Exchanges of students, teachers, artists, writers and not to mention moviemakers, are important to foster the understanding between New Zealand and Asia.
In order for our exchanges to extend beyond economic terms, we need to adopt a sincere, upfront and long term approach to our connection, similar to the one we adopt with our country's race relationship.
Places to Eat, Meet and Treat
Merge, 453 K' Road, Auckland
The name café MERGE lends itself, I would guess, to the colour and fusion of our Auckland icon - K' Road.
It is a great place to nip in for a quick fix and catch up on your favourite columnists as they have a good selection of morning papers and magazines.
Best of all, you can bring good cheer to your office colleagues by picking up a bunch of gerberas on your way out !
