Apec gets first use of cars

By Warren Gamble

Police are saving shiny new cars for the Apec leaders' motorcades.

Mauri Pacific MP Rana Waitai, a former police commander, has claimed 200 new police cars are being kept under wraps for the September summit while districts make do with ageing vehicles.

Police say 162 new cars will be used for Apec motorcades for their reliability and professional image.

The police media manager for Apec, Robyn Orchard, said the cars were part of this year's vehicle fleet replacement for districts from Northland to Waikato.

Normally those vehicles would be distributed to districts starting in July. But now each district would receive its full complement after the summit ended on September 13.