Budget missed mark by not funding more police officers: Trust

Ken Evans.

A lack of funding for more police was a glaring gap in the 2016/2017 Budget, a victims of crime advocate says.

Ken Evans, Tauranga spokesman for Sensible Sentencing Trust, welcomed any extra efforts to improve the justice system efforts to look after victims of crime.

Mr Evans said one of the trust's major concerns was extra funding being absorbed in administration costs.

"One of the glaring omissions in this budget is no funding for more frontline police which helped deter crime and assisted in improving our crime resolution rates."

Police Association president Greg O'Connor said the Government's 2016/17 Budget could be described as a "status quo" one, which funded debts already incurred.

"[Police] will be disappointed that there will be no significant new operational funding to enable them to deliver essential policing services, but will be relieved that they will not have to continue to absorb natural increases such as wages."

Justice:

Justice sector will receive $837 million during next four years - plus $56m in 2015/2016 to prevent crime, rehabilitate offenders and reduce re-offending rates:

- Includes $299m for police, primarily to meet wage increases.

- $208m for initiatives to address family violence, and better cater for victims of crime.

- $356m for Corrections to reduce re-offending and meet recent growth in the prison population.

- $96m for legal aid and community law centres.