Mark Mitchell: Police Minister on the lack of enforcement of the ban of smoking and vaping in cars with children

Early Edition with Ryan Bridge · Nov 5, 2025 · 5m · transcript

The Police Minister says he has more pressing priorities than the enforcement of a law banning smoking or vaping in cars with children.

Last year, Newstalk ZB revealed Police never updated systems so officers could issue fines and had no plans to.

Police say the systems remain the same fourteen months on, and no fines have been issued.

Mark Mitchell told Ryan Bridge this is an operational issue for Police, and he's focused on other things.

He says his priority is getting on top of aggravated robberies and other violent crime.

Mitchell says Police have been very clear they prefer to educate…