Green Deputy Tamatha Paul is bending his comments that a “visible police presence” makes people feel “more at the limit.”
“I’m not surprised that people be upset that a young brown woman is criticized by an institution that disappoints her and her communities for a long time,” she said.
He comes after labor leader Chris Hipkins, a potential coalition partner, reached the comments, saying they were “poorly informed, were reckless, they were actually stupid.”
Other coalition parliamentarians also reached the comments, with the Prime Minister saying that Paulo was in “La-La Land”.
Paul’s comments were made as part of a university discussion panel organized by the green and peace action of the University of Canterbury.
Wellington Central Deputy said she received “nothing but complaints” about the police won the patrols.
Paul told the event that people in Wellington did not want to see cops everywhere and “for many people, it makes them feel less safe.”
“It is this constant visual presence that says you may not be safe there if there are mounds of police,” she said.
She also accused the police of “waiting for people without -to leave her place, arranging her things and throwing them in the trash,” the feedback she received as a local deputy from the Downtown Community Ministry and the Salvation Army.
Paul said he is not resil of any of his comments.
“Because they are based on legitimate experiences of people I should represent.”
She explained that police resources could be used more productively and are not well trained to do the work they are doing.
“We saw this last week with an 11 -year -old autistic girl being detained and drugged,” Paul explained, “we also saw it with the use of force against a man in ōrere Point that lost his life.”
“My opinion is that they are not the best people to respond to cases where people are in mental suffering, drug psychosis, those high -level situations that require expert response – this is not your ordinary policeman.”
She said she didn’t know why she was so “confronting” people to see a “little criticism of the police and the way they exercise their huge powers.”
Hipkins said his comments were “poorly informed, they were reckless, they were actually stupid.”
“I don’t think the members of Parliament should be undermining the police this way, I think New Zealand’s audience has a huge confidence in the New Zealand police and must have.”
The potential coalition partner indicated that he would go to the green when “they do things we disagree.”
“I thought these comments were very poorly recommended,” said Hipkins.
Hipkins said that “undermining confidence in the police” was not the way to have a discussion about police resources and prevent the crime.
He then attributed comments from another green deputy, Kahurangi Carter, about some New Zealanders feeling “safer alone with a member of a patched gang than the police,” saying they were “out of contact.”
“I think she should apologize for that.”
In response, Greens co-leader Chloe Swarbrick said people were confusing two of the green “different Maori parliamentarians.”
Swarbrick added that there are “stacks of evidence” that police respond to the crime, but what significantly avoids the crime is “to ensure that we have adequate investments in people’s housing, education, health and income.”
When it comes to whether these comments would affect a working relationship with the Labor Party, Paul said he is able to work with police and other political parties, “but why we have other political parties is so that different opinions can be expressed.”
Coalition reaction
The first -minister Christopher Luxon said Paul’s comments were “outrageous and insane,” and police were doing an “incredible job.”
He said it was a “a lot of trash” police by throwing items owned by people without -Teto: “I think she’s on a completely different planet.”
“Without disrespect. She’s totally wrong and the green are Land on Law and Order.
“New Zealanders want to feel safe in their homes, their business, their communities – the police are doing an excellent job.”
Luxon said the government supports the police and he wants them to be recognized.
“Hitting our police and accusing them of all kinds of things, she is on a completely different planet from where the New Zealandes are.”
New Zealand’s first leader Winston Peters said his party’s view is that they “are not for anarchy.”
Regarding Paul, he said “clearly it is for anarchy.”
Deputy Epsom, David Seymour, said the people he represents “want to see the police out there.”
“They provide security, prevent real violence.”
He said that many people feel to crash unsafe stores in their electorate, and seeing the surrounding police give people a lot of security.
Seymour said his comments were “just strangers” and the greens need to clarify whether they are in favor of the police or “some other world, and how would it work?”
