The National Party is claiming the Government is slashing the road safety funding it gives to police to the tune of $10 million.
It comes after the deadliest year on our roads in almost a decade. However, Police Minister Stuart Nash is refusing to answer questions on the matter.
Last year the Government gave police $341 million for road safety, but in last week’s Budget it earmarked $10 million less.
National Party Police spokesperson Chris Bishop says this is “very concerning”.
“They say that road safety is one of their highest priorities and yet there’s a $10 million cut to the road safety budget delivered by police.”
The Police Minister opened a revamped police station in the Auckland suburb of Balmoral yesterday with the Prime Minister but left without answering questions about road safety funding.
This has left Mr Bishop astounded.
“Well Stuart Nash has tried to hide a $10 million cut to the road safety budget and not it looks like he’s trying to hide from the media as well. It’s not good enough.”
The police say there’s not necessarily a funding cut and the $331 million allocated is a placeholder while they figure out just how much is needed.
Already this year more than 170 people have died, more than the same time last year.
This puts the Government is under pressure to come up with solutions following 2018 which was the deadliest year on the roads in almost a decade.
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