I'M OFF TO LA-LA LAND SOON

 I have some affinity for The Green Party's policies as I am a bit of a dreamer and, as I've told you before, I sort of voted for a Green-type party back in 1972 when I voted for the Values Party in Wellington.

STORMIN' NORMAN

Over the years though I've been disappointed at the direction that they've been taking as there's no room for naivety in world politics. You have to try to achieve ideals within a pragmatic environment.

The latest debacle from The Greens is MP Tamatha Paul criticising Wellington Police foot patrols and suggesting that a "visible police presence" makes people feel "more on edge." 

WTF! I suggest that the people who feel on edge do so because they are doing things that are either unlawful or antisocial.

Lilian Hanley, RNZ political reporter commented that Tamara Paul said that people in Wellington didn't want to see police officers everywhere, and "for a lot of people, it makes them feel less safe ... it's that constant visual presence that tells you that you might not be safe there, if there's heaps of cops". 

Paul accused police of "waiting for homeless people to leave their spot, packing their stuff up and throwing it in the bin," In fact what the police did was to retrieve stolen supermarket shopping trolleys from some of the rough sleepers and to return them to the rightful owners - the supermarkets. What's wrong with that?

I for one, when I get to Wellington and want to visit Courtenay Place, Cuba Street and the general inner city area, will be happy to see foot patrols of police keeping everyone safe and happy.

For once we have all of the major political parties agreeing on something:

Chris Hipkins:

• "The comments were ill-informed, were unwise and in fact were stupid".

• "I don't think responsible members of parliament should be undermining the police in that way, I think the New Zealand public have huge confidence in the New Zealand police and they should have."

• "I thought these comments were very ill-advised." 

•  "Undermining confidence in the police" was not the way to have a discussion about police resourcing, and preventing crime."

Chris Luxon:

• " Paul's comments were outrageous and insane. Police were out there doing an incredible job."

• "It's a load of rubbish that police were throwing items owned by homeless people out. I think she's on a completely different planet."

• "No disrespect. She is totally wrong and the Greens are in la-la land on law and order."

• "New Zealanders want to feel safe in their homes, their businesses, their communities - the police are doing an excellent job."

• "Beating up on our police and accusing them of all sorts of things, she is on a completely different planet from where New Zealanders are at."

Winston Peters:

• "Our party's view is that we are "not for anarchy. Paul, is clearly for anarchy."

David Seymour:

• "The people I represent want to see the police out there. They provide security, they deter real violence."

• "A lot of people feel unsafe locking up shops in his electorate, and seeing the police around gives people a lot of reassurance."

• " Her comments were just weird and the Greens need to clarify if they are in favour of the police or some other world, and how would that work?"