Police unconscious bias inquiry not necessary, says National's Judith Collins

National Party leader Judith Collins. Photo / Dom Thomas, RNZ

By RNZ

National Party leader Judith Collins says police's inquiry into unconscious bias is not necessary because she doesn't believe there is any systemic racism.

Speaking to Morning Report on the firearms protection order, Collins said if her party was in power, she would go further than those measures to ensure gang members and violent offenders did not have access to firearms.

The bill, which will be introduced into the House before the end of the year, aims to combat gang crime by preventing "high-risk" people from accessing or using firearms.

"They're saying they would allow court to declare a firearm prohibition order after this gang member or violent offender has committed a serious violence offence - well it's a bit late, like shutting the gate after the bull has gone out," Collins said.

"It is important, we believe, that the police commissioner has the same powers that they do in New South Wales to actually issue these [orders] and we'd also have warrantless searches when they're in place."

On the other hand, Māori Party co-leader Rawiri Waititi said he had grave concerns the order would disproportionately affect Māori.

"We need to look at positive programmes and look at stopping that from happening, but also look at alternative plans for our whānau and stop the fishing expeditions that the police do with Māori."

However, Collins said it was "easy to throw around" claims of systemic racism within police.

"I trust the New Zealand police and I certainly trust them significantly more than I trust gang members, and I think that's the point.

"When we talk about gangs, people tend to forget that some of the more prolific gangs when it comes to methamphetamine, like say the Hells Angels or the Head Hunters, are predominantly Pākehā, so we're suddenly going to say that's okay?

"I mean they [the Māori Party] are very clear they don't trust police and well I do trust the police. I've been the minister of police for four years and I don't see the systemic racism."

In March, police announced they were launching a long-term research project to investigate whether they have unconscious bias against Māori. But they also would not say it is an inquiry into racism.

Asked if she believed that inquiry was necessary, Collins said it was not, adding that public trust and confidence in police was at "astronomical levels" when she was minister.

"I think that for people to say there is systemic racism, completely denigrates the hard-working men and women of New Zealand police and I'm going to stand up for them and law and order any day over patched gang members, who commit awful offences in this country, many of them against women and children."