Chris Hipkins wants to take a "big picture" approach to reducing gang activity.

The new Police Minister has gone head-to-head with National's Police spokesman Mark Mitchell for the first time this morning, with an appearance on the Mike Hosking Breakfast.

It's come just before his first meeting with Police Commissioner Andrew Coster this morning.

Hipkins told Mike Hosking he wants to work as both Police Minister and Education Minister, to stop the flow of people joining gangs.

“We know that the gangs go round and they pick off young people who are getting into trouble and get them into even more trouble, so I think we want to stop that cycle.”

MP Mark Mitchell is welcoming the Government's decision to remove Poto Williams from the police portfolio.

But he told Mike Hosking Hipkins has his work cut out for him.

“We’ve seen a massive increase in gang numbers and gang recruiting and membership has actually outstripped police and we’ve got levels of gang and gun violence that we’ve never seen in New Zealand before.”

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