Police say no to Taser slowdown

The Green Party is calling for the police rollout of Taser stun guns to be suspended while Queensland authorities investigate the death of a man who was shot up to 28 times.

MP Keith Locke said Queensland's government had suspended its Taser rollout pending a four-week review and New Zealand police should do the same.

A police spokesman said the rollout would not be suspended.

"We're aware of the situation in Australia and we're keeping a watching brief on that," the spokesman said.

"We will be waiting for them to finish their report and see what comes out of that. There won't be any suspension of the rollout."

Police Minister Judith Collins announced on May 22, just ahead of the budget, that there would be $5.3 million in it to complete the deployment of Tasers throughout the country.

She said about 720 would be available for frontline police and officers would be trained to use them.

Tasers were trialled in 2007 and it was not until the middle of last year that Police Commissioner Howard Broad announced they were here to stay.

The death of 39-year-old Antonio Galeano has set off a debate in Australia about the safety of the weapons.

He collapsed and died a short time after being stunned by the 50,000 volt Taser gun that authorities said had been triggered up to 28 times.

Mr Locke said New Zealand police needed to re-examine its practice of allowing Tasers to be fired more than once.

"In the year-long trial the trigger was pulled a second time in seven cases out of the 19 times Tasers were used," he said.

"The police's own instructions for the trial stressed that 'subsequent applications of the device should be avoided'.

"The 50,000 volt stun gun is an extremely dangerous weapon when fired only once, let alone when the trigger is pulled repeatedly."

- NZPA