KEY POINTS:
Police Minister Judith Collins has accused Labour of "politicising" the police by inviting Auckland regional commanders to speak to the party's MPs at their out-of-Wellington caucus meeting.
"It is incredibly important that police don't feel they are taking instructions from a party political broadcast situation," she told the Weekend Herald.
"It is not appropriate behaviour for the Opposition to be doing this. It is pressure on police. I am concerned that it is something they (the police) have got used to doing. It's totally out of order."
Ms Collins, who accused Labour of undermining police independence and confidence when in Government, said Labour was now doing the same in Opposition.
That claim was rejected by Labour leader Phil Goff. He said the invitation had not just gone to local police. The Tuesday meeting at Mt Wellington's Waipuna Lodge of community "stakeholders" across Auckland had been arranged so Labour MPs could get a perspective from a variety of viewpoints of the challenges facing the city.
"It was not a political exercise about bagging the Government or any other thing. I think it is rather bizarre for her to say that as the one thing I have been concerned about as an MP and a minister is constabulary independence. It is critical in a democratic system."
However, the possible implications of going to the meeting appear not to have been lost on senior Auckland police. The invitation was forwarded to Police Commissioner Howard Broad who referred it to the minister.
Mr Goff said no one from the force appeared to have turned up.
Asked what was wrong with police talking to Opposition MPs, Ms Collins said Labour MPs should "get off their chairs" and visit police stations.
"They are dealing with crime. They haven't got the time to attend party political broadcasts."
She said it was unacceptable for the police to talk to an Opposition party about policy and developments in policing in their region.
She said it was okay for an electorate MP with a genuine question about a constituency matter to contact local police. However, the police had to be seen to be independent of political influence in their operations.