Minister to host inaugural SCPEM meeting

Minister to host inaugural SCPEM meeting

Police Minister Judith Collins will chair the inaugural meeting of the Standing Council on Police and Emergency Management (SCPEM) in Auckland this week.

The meeting will be held on 11 November and will be attended by more than 70 New Zealand and Australian Police and Emergency Management Ministers, Police Commissioners and senior officials.

SCPEM, established by the Council of Australian Governments in September 2011, forms part of the new Ministerial Council arrangements recommended in the Hawke Review.

“New Zealand and Australian law enforcement and emergency management agencies enjoy a long, close and co-operative working relationship,” Ms Collins said.

“Recent disasters, such as the Canterbury earthquakes, Queensland floods and Victoria bushfires show how important it is to discuss planning and responses for such events.

“This new council brings together previously separate police and emergency management ministerial councils. It seeks an integrated and strategic approach to issues of common interest and to explore ways to implement best practices across Australasian jurisdictions.”

In addition to building disaster response capability, the council will discuss approaches to issues such as training cybercrime investigators, organised crime and emerging drugs issues.

The meeting will also be attended by the Minister of Civil Defence, Hon Craig Foss.