Minister to host Australian counterparts

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.

The meeting is significant, replacing two separate Ministerial Councils on Police and Emergency Management, following the Australian Review of all Ministerial Councils in 2010.

“New Zealand and Australian law enforcement and emergency services agencies enjoy a long and close relationship and work together on a range of issues, to the benefit of both countries,” Ms Collins said.

“With the Christchurch earthquake, Queensland floods and Victoria bushfires, both countries have experienced recent natural disasters. This week’s meeting will be an opportunity to share our experiences and discuss planning and responses for such events.

“It will also be an opportunity to discuss enforcement issues faced by governments on both sides of the Tasman, such as inter-jurisdictional operations, cyber crime and future directions in Australian and New Zealand policing.”