Prime Minister Christopher Luxon appeared to get annoyed with a line of questioning at a press conference over gang numbers today, leaning across a lectern and saying: "It's not about the frickin targets."
The press conference at the Police National Headquarters was called by the Prime Minister and he was accompanied by Police Minister Mark Mitchell. They spoke about the coalition Government's efforts to address law and order, in particular, gang crime.
But when Luxon and Mitchell were asked about the police reducing the gang numbers list as part of "sanitising" it — including removing people who had died or otherwise not met the criteria — the Prime Minister appeared to become visibly annoyed.
The reporter had suggested it could be politically convenient for the Government for gang numbers to reduce, and asked if the Government had directed the police to do it. Mitchell and Luxon denied that to be the case.
"Guys, guys, no disrespect," Luxon said.
"It's not about the frickin targets, it's about outcomes."
Last month Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith told the NZ Herald the Government wanted to reduce the number of gang members, but did not have a specific number, and was more focused on reducing the number of victims of serious crime, including that inflicted by gang members.
That's despite the National Party criticising the former Labour government for the size of the list when it was in Opposition.
Luxon said the "outcomes" were "about reducing violent crime".
"We want to make sure we've got the best, most accurate, sanitised, clean data we possibly can. So I appreciate the base may be moving and that will be what it will be, but it's important we have good quality data because that data actually drives a lot of actual actions from police officers going after gangs.
"So that's the important part.
"So yep, we'll keep making sure the data's clean and it's hygiened exactly as it should be, that's exactly what we want to do, but what I'm interested in is the outcomes, and the outcomes have to be less violent crime incidents, and as you know, we've got a long way to go. We've got some examples of where we've got good results and good outcomes, as you've seen in Auckland CBD, but we've now got a set of new laws on gangs. We've got a clear position and policy on how we want to operate and the stance we want to have with gangs, and we're going to go after that."
Frickin is 'not an F word'
Coming out of the House today, Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters said frickin was "not an F word".
"It's not a swear word, is it? It's not blaspheming."
Labour MP Ayesha Verrall said use of the phrase "it's not about the frickin targets" by the PM was "highly unusual for someone who's made a big song and a dance about targets".
National MP and Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey said targets were "ultimately about accountability".
"Because you are setting expectations of delivery."
Asked what he then made of the Prime Minister's comments, Doocey said he was "a big supporter of targets — I know the Prime Minister is as well."
It's not the first time Luxon has appeared upset by questioning. In May he criticised a question about whether sushi was "woke" — a phrase introduced into political discourse by his coalition partner and future deputy prime minister ACT leader David Seymour.
"I'd just say, given everything that's going on in this country, do you think that is the most sensible question to be asking?"
When it was put to Luxon it was language used by a minister in his Government, he said: "And that's news? Is it news today? Do you think that's a really smart question — honestly?"
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