Simon Bridges National MP simonbridges.co.nz

Recently I was asked to comment about raising a family in New Zealand as opposed to overseas.

Obviously there are a range of circumstances and I understand that some families are finding it very difficult. But New Zealand is still an amazing place to raise children and I reckon Tauranga must be one of the best parts in our country in which to do so.

Obvious points to make include our weather and climate. Children can be real children, enjoying the outdoors all day long. Wherever you live here you are close to a park with a playground and the water.

We also have great early childhood education, schools and healthcare in this city. As I said to the journalist I talked to, my wife and I have personally found the assistance from the nurses on PlunketLine very helpful and comforting, and free doctor visits for under-sixes also ensures children get the best possible start in life.

The sign on the primary school nearest me encourages children to walk to school rather than be dropped off by family. I was initially surprised by this, but on reflection it's a great message. Obviously, it's primarily about health and lifestyle, but it is also a reflection of the general safety of our city. I am grateful we live in a place like this where children can roam around and don't need to be shuttled from one indoor area to the next.

Police roll out new technology to fight crime

All New Zealanders have a right to feel safe in their homes and communities, and National remains committed to building a safer New Zealand.

I was delighted with the recent news that frontline police will soon start using smartphones and tablets that will free up 41,526 police hours in the Bay of Plenty Police District every year. This means cops will have more time out in their communities.

In a three-month roll-out starting in April, 6086 officers across New Zealand will receive the devices. The devices save, on average, 30 minutes per officer per shift, meaning just over half a million more frontline police hours every year are being invested in crime prevention – the equivalent of about 345 extra police.

Smartphones and tablets will be introduced across the country, with 6500 frontline officers being issued a smartphone by mid-2014, and 3900 staff receiving tablets.

One of our priorities this term is delivering better public services. Making sure our police have the tools they need to spend more time on crime prevention, and less time on paperwork, is important to achieving this.

This new technology means police will be able to access, input and share vital information on the spot, like offender details and information on places and vehicles, without having to go back to their station or radio in.

It will help officers make immediate and better decisions on the ground, which will reduce safety risks for officers and the public, and increase time police spend out in their communities.

Police will be able to provide a more visible and efficient service that will help prevent crime and protect New Zealanders.

National set three challenging Better Public Services targets around crime: to reduce the total recorded crime rate by 15 per cent, the recorded violent crime rate by 20 per cent, and the youth crime rate by 5 per cent. This technology will support police to achieve these targets.

We have already seen the crime rate drop to a 30-year low. The 70 per cent increase in police foot patrols, Neighbourhood Policing Teams, the Prevention First Strategy, and the 600 additional frontline officers delivered by this Government are all contributing to our falling crime rate.