KEY POINTS:
John Key's law and order policies have received the tick of approval from the Police Association, despite his opponents' attempts to discredit the package.
The National Party leader presented his policies to the association conference yesterday and promised to move quickly if National became the government to give police more powers to crack down on gangs, P and youth crime.
In September, delegates to an Every Child Counts conference at the same venue in Wellington booed Mr Key for his plans for youth justice and boot camps. But yesterday he received a warmer endorsement from the police union delegates.
After the MP's address, association president Greg O'Connor said the union was very careful to be politically neutral and "support policies rather than political parties".
"However, I will say ... for those who are intent this country be a safe place to live in, visit and do business, those policies would go a long way towards doing that. Someone looking at their vote from a pure law and order issue [stance] would do well with those 10 points."
Mr Key presented an "action plan" on law and order, saying National had legislation ready in areas including compensation for victims, a new range of sentences for youth offenders including "boot camps", and to give police more powers to crack down on gangs - including surveillance in suspected P-related offences, wider DNA testing, and harsher sentencing for members.
He also promised 600 extra police (240 more than Labour was recruiting), harsher sentences for crimes against children, and no parole for repeat violent offenders. Mr Key said law and order was one of the three focus areas for funding within the $1.7 billion National had budgeted for new spending.
His speech drew a sharp reaction from Labour. Police Minister Annette King said Labour had increased police numbers by 2500 since coming into power and National's offer was only 220 police on top of that.
Corrections Minister Phil Goff said Labour had already toughened up bail, parole and sentencing laws - which had required 2500 additional prison beds and four new prisons. It also had plans to clamp down on gangs and organised crime.
Mr Key promised police would not undergo further radical restructuring and that he would do a stock-take of his speech and report back to the association on whether he had kept his promises at its conference next year.
Mr Key's speech was a day after Ms King addressed the conference, promising a commission of inquiry into organised crime and gangs to assess the problem and solutions used overseas.
