N.Z. policeman for Sydney

Press, 31 October 1979, Page 3

N.Z. policeman for Sydney

I PA Wellington The Minister of Police (Mr Gill) wants a police officer, stationed full-time in Sydney l from the beginning of next’ I year. He said yesterday that the Cabinet had approved his proposal and that he would negotiate with the Australian police authorities early: next month to establish the post and define the officer’s role. Mr Gill said the Austra-j Tian police had been com-, plaining about the number! of people with criminal 1 records travelling from New Zealand to Australia. “We are as co-operative as we can be, but we think perhaps that our co-oper-ation would be more tangible and perhaps more ef-

fective if we had a man iq Sydney who could liaise ■ directly with the Sydpey : ■, police and the police 'in ■ other .states,” Mr Gill said, 'in an interview. The officer would prob- : ably be of the rank of in- ; spector and it would cost 1 about $20,000 a year to maintain the posting. Mr Gil! did not agree with ’ a suggestion that complaints “about- criminals crossing the ,Tasman could lead lo the introduction of travel docu- -, mentation. ! “That would be a retrograde step,” he said. Docu-( - mentation was not wanted’ by the Australian or New ■ Zealand authorities. A New Zealand police presence in Australia could ■ ensure that documentation ■ would not be necessary.