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The number of prisoners gaining NZQA qualifications has increased 159 percent over the past three years, Corrections Minister Judith Collins said today.

In the last financial year 711 National Certificates were awarded to prisoners, compared with just 275 in 2008/09.

“National Certificates are real qualifications that will help prisoners find real jobs when they are released from prison,” Ms Collins said.

A wave of action by Police yesterday will serve as a reminder to overseas crime gangs that they are not welcome in New Zealand, Police Minister Judith Collins said.

Yesterday, Police executed search warrants at 13 addresses in New Plymouth, one in Otaki, one in Auckland and seven in Northland.

A total of 22 people were arrested, including members and associates of the Australian Rebels Motorcycle Club which has been attempting to establish itself in New Zealand.

Corrections Minister Judith Collins today joined Corrections staff at Rimutaka Prison as they farewelled the green uniform that have been in service for more than 30 years.

From today, Corrections staff around the country will wear a new blue uniform following the first comprehensive review of the Corrections Officer uniform since 1976.

“Most people wouldn’t want to be wearing the same style of clothing they had in the 1970s. Our Corrections staff are no different,” Ms Collins said.

Justice Minister Simon Power and Corrections Minister Judith Collins today welcomed the rollout of court audio-visual links (AVL) to Hamilton.

The Hamilton AVL facility links Hamilton District Court with Waikeria Prison and is the second of four court/correction facilities to receive the technology.

AVL allows prisoners to appear in court by video link rather than in person. It is used mainly for procedural hearings, such as list appearances, call-overs, and bail hearings. It can also be used for trials, but only with the consent of the defendant.

New Plymouth’s 49-year-old Police Station is to be pulled down and a new one built in its place, Police Minister Judith Collins announced today.

Police will demolish the existing station and build a 2350m² station on the site. The overall project, which will be subject to a competitive tender, is expected to be in the range of $10 - $12 million.

The current station was built by the Ministry of Works and opened in August 1962. At the time there were fewer than 30 Police in New Plymouth. Today there are 155.

Police Minister Judith Collins has congratulated Police on being named New Zealand’s Most Reputable Government Department in a survey by NZ Management magazine.

It is the second year in a row that Police have been named Most Reputable Government Department.

The magazine said Police’s reputation was based on its strong relationship with the public, a clear and compelling vision and strong and effective leadership.

Police Minister Judith Collins today opened the third and final stage of the $35 million new Manukau Police Station, and paid tribute to the work of Manukau Police in reducing crime.

The first stage of the new station was opened in February 2007 and the second in February 2009. The third stage, which was completed under the $5 million budget, will bring Crime Services Staff together under one roof. The entire project cost around $35 million and will house a staff of about 300.

The Government today announced its plan for a multi-agency offensive on organised crime.

Strengthening New Zealand’s Resistance to Organised Crime, an All-of-Government Response, outlines a plan to disrupt criminal networks.

More than 5,000 Police Safety Orders (PSOs) were issued in the first year of their existence, Justice Minister Simon Power and Police Minister Judith Collins said today.

The orders, which came into effect on 1 July last year, allow Police to remove an alleged violent person from the home for a period of up to five days.

Police can use the new tool in situations where there is insufficient evidence to arrest but where they believe there is a likelihood of violence occurring.

Figures released for the year to July show:

A Bill reinstating the legal rights of Police over storage of youth identifying particulars, such as fingerprints and photographs, restores one of the Police’s vital tools in addressing youth offending, Police Minister Judith Collins said.

Corrections Minister Judith Collins today congratulated Corrections Department staff for the successful implementation of a smoking ban across all prisons in New Zealand.

The ban has been in place since 1 July. It followed 12 months of careful planning and preparation by Corrections staff, supported by the Ministry of Health and Quitline.

“I would like to congratulate the Corrections Department for the successful implementation of this policy,” Ms Collins said.

Sixty-six years after Japan signed the Armistice that marked the end of World War II, New Zealanders still have immense gratitude to those who fought in the conflict, Veterans’ Affairs Minister Judith Collins said today.

"We must never forget the sacrifices made and the dedication shown by those who served our country in the Second World War," Ms Collins said on the anniversary of Victory over Japan (VJ) Day.

A $2 million refurbishment of Pukekohe Police Station will enable Police to better serve their community, Police Minister Judith Collins said today.

Ms Collins joined local Police at the opening of the refurbished station today. She said that prior to the refurbishment the station was not up to the demands of modern Police work.

“Our New Zealand Police deserve plenty of support, good tools and good working conditions,” she said.

“This includes modern, well-equipped Police stations that allow them to perform at their best.

Police Minister Judith Collins today congratulated eight Police officers who received awards or citations for their actions during the Napier siege in May 2009.

The officers were recognised for their roles during the siege which began with the fatal shooting of Police Senior Constable Len Snee by Jan Molenaar during a routine check of a Chaucer Rd address.

Police plan to have 30 new Neighbourhood Policing Teams in action throughout New Zealand by the end of the year, Police Minister Judith Collins said today.

Neighbourhood Policing Teams work in priority communities for three to five years alongside other government agencies and partners to solve the problems of that neighbourhood. 

“I am pleased to report that following the successful deployment of Neighbourhood Policing Teams in Counties-Manukau that a further 18 teams are being trained for a nationwide roll out of the initiative,” Ms Collins said.

The world has lost an inspirational and courageous woman with the passing of World War II resistance leader Nancy Wake, Veterans’ Affairs Minister Judith Collins said today.

Wake, who was known as the White Mouse, died in a London hospital yesterday aged 98.

Born in Wellington, she was the Allies' most decorated WWII servicewoman for her work with the French Resistance. Although claimed by the Australians, Nancy Wake was born in New Zealand and returned to visit family when a teenager.

The Government has approved capital expenditure of $20.8 million to demolish the existing Tauranga Police Station and build a state-of-the art replacement, Police Minister Judith Collins announced today.

Police have occupied the Monmouth Street site since the 1880s, with the current station built by the Ministry of Works in 1965. The existing building was built to accommodate only 50 staff and 10 police vehicles. The number of Police in Tauranga has grown to around 185 with 60 vehicles.

New Zealanders will never forget the great debt they owe those who served in the First World War, Veterans’ Affairs Minister Judith Collins said today on the 97th anniversary of the start of the conflict.

On August 4, 1914, Great Britain declared war on Germany following the German invasion of Belgium.  New Zealand, as part of the British Empire, was quick to support the war and volunteer troops.

The Corrections Department is introducing a new case management model that will boost the rehabilitation and reintegration of prisoners, Corrections Minister Judith Collins said today.

The new approach will see specialised case managers working closely with individual prisoners from the beginning to the end of their sentence.

To support this new approach, the Department has employed 177 case managers, and will shortly start recruiting for another 50. This will enable 227 case managers to work directly with prisoners to reduce their risk of re-offending.

Australian and New Zealand Police and Emergency Management Ministers met jointly for the first time today in Wellington. Police and Emergency Management Ministers have previously met through separate ministerial councils.

Police Minister Judith Collins will chair a meeting of New Zealand and Australian Police and Emergency Management Ministers, Police Commissioners and senior officials this week.

The meeting will be held in Wellington on 28 – 29 July and will be attended by more than 60 delegates from New Zealand and Australia.

The meeting will look at how police and emergency services in Australia and New Zealand can work together at an operational and strategic level, and ways to implement best practices across jurisdictions.

Welcome and thank you for inviting me to join you today.

Gathered here this morning are representatives from five countries, 16 government agencies and over 20 private sector organisations.

The international dimension of this seminar reflects not only how seriously our jurisdictions view financial crime, but also how financial crime does not respect borders.

As long as there has been organised crime, there have been ever more complex money trails that have reached ever further around the world.

Police Minister Judith Collins today congratulated the New Zealand Police on winning a major award at the Telecommunication Users Association of New Zealand (TUANZ) Innovation Awards in Auckland last night.

Police and IT partner Datacom won the Local and Central Government Services Award for Operation SNAP, a web-based initiative that targets property crime.

The annual awards honour companies and individuals that have made a significant contribution to telecommunications in New Zealand.

More staff and improved work practices have resulted in Community Probation Services (CPS) doubling community work compliance rates since 2009, Corrections Minister Judith Collins said.

Speaking at the official opening of the Blenheim CPS Service Centre today, Ms Collins said the Government’s $256 million investment in CPS was paying off. CPS manages 45,000 offenders who are on parole or serving community based sentences.