Mr MILLS - 2001-06-05
Labor asserts that crime in the Territory has risen by more than 20%. Is this the case? What benefits does the minister see from the government’s approach to tackling the itinerant problem and dealing with antisocial conduct before it becomes a source of crime?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, the outrageous comments, again misrepresenting the facts, of the Leader of the Opposition on radio this morning that crime has gone up by 20% - in fact, it has not. She refers to the annual report of the Department of Police, Fire and Emergency Services and I expect you are talking about page 86 that someone pointed out to you. You would not be able to find it yourself; you cannot get inside the cover.
What she was referring to were reported offences. Now, reported offences are quite different from actual offences in terms of how they are entered into the books. In the process of police then addressing those reported offences there are, on quite regular occasions, findings that no offence has been committed.
You have to look at the actual offences as opposed to the reported offences. If the Leader of the Opposition did that, she would be a little bit more honest in her interpretation. I advise members and those listening that the Annual Report 1999-2000 of Police, Fire and Emergency Services shows the number of reported offences against property has dropped from more than 19 000 in 1998-1999 to 17 501 last financial year.
For the benefit of the Leader of the Opposition, that is demonstrated on page 85, table 1. The 1999-2000 figure also compares favourably with 1995-1996 of more than 20 000 reported offences of property crime. The steady reduction in crime against property during the last five years was a result of the dedication of the police, the high level of Territory government resources directed at crime and a tough approach to dealing with offenders. You want to let them off; you do not want mandatory sentencing. If they break into someone’s home or damage their property, we will be sending them to gaol. You can caress them if you like but we are not of that mind.
A 2570 drop was reported in property offences between 1995-1996 and the end of last financial year. It showed a clear trend of decreasing crime against property. So if the Leader of the Opposition wants to look at the annual reports and talk about them in a way that they are represented in terms of the actual facts - and I table for her benefit the graphs from 1995-1996 through to the year 1999-2000 which shows a very clear trend in a reduction of offences reported to police against property. I table that for honourable members’ benefit.
In terms of the legislation that will be introduced this week, the Chief Minister has clearly demonstrated that there is a need to keep moving with the times. The Labor Party can live in a museum in a way that they do not want to see any progress, but from the point of view of the police on the street, legislation does have a life in terms of its usefulness and there are, because of changing circumstances in the community and the interpretation placed on legislation by the courts …
Ms Martin: What changing circumstances?
Mr REED: I know she does not like to hear this and that is why she keeps interjecting - that governments have a responsibility to ensure that their laws are contemporary and that they do provide police of today with appropriate laws of today to address the community issues of today. That is precisely what the legislation that will be introduced this week will do and it will make the Territory a safer place than it already is notwithstanding that it is the safest place in Australia. If we just sat on our hands and kept the same legislation that has been there forever, instead of progressing and introducing new legislation for contemporary times and current community problems, we would never get anywhere except top of the class for whingeing which Labor has achieved.
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, the outrageous comments, again misrepresenting the facts, of the Leader of the Opposition on radio this morning that crime has gone up by 20% - in fact, it has not. She refers to the annual report of the Department of Police, Fire and Emergency Services and I expect you are talking about page 86 that someone pointed out to you. You would not be able to find it yourself; you cannot get inside the cover.
What she was referring to were reported offences. Now, reported offences are quite different from actual offences in terms of how they are entered into the books. In the process of police then addressing those reported offences there are, on quite regular occasions, findings that no offence has been committed.
You have to look at the actual offences as opposed to the reported offences. If the Leader of the Opposition did that, she would be a little bit more honest in her interpretation. I advise members and those listening that the Annual Report 1999-2000 of Police, Fire and Emergency Services shows the number of reported offences against property has dropped from more than 19 000 in 1998-1999 to 17 501 last financial year.
For the benefit of the Leader of the Opposition, that is demonstrated on page 85, table 1. The 1999-2000 figure also compares favourably with 1995-1996 of more than 20 000 reported offences of property crime. The steady reduction in crime against property during the last five years was a result of the dedication of the police, the high level of Territory government resources directed at crime and a tough approach to dealing with offenders. You want to let them off; you do not want mandatory sentencing. If they break into someone’s home or damage their property, we will be sending them to gaol. You can caress them if you like but we are not of that mind.
A 2570 drop was reported in property offences between 1995-1996 and the end of last financial year. It showed a clear trend of decreasing crime against property. So if the Leader of the Opposition wants to look at the annual reports and talk about them in a way that they are represented in terms of the actual facts - and I table for her benefit the graphs from 1995-1996 through to the year 1999-2000 which shows a very clear trend in a reduction of offences reported to police against property. I table that for honourable members’ benefit.
In terms of the legislation that will be introduced this week, the Chief Minister has clearly demonstrated that there is a need to keep moving with the times. The Labor Party can live in a museum in a way that they do not want to see any progress, but from the point of view of the police on the street, legislation does have a life in terms of its usefulness and there are, because of changing circumstances in the community and the interpretation placed on legislation by the courts …
Ms Martin: What changing circumstances?
Mr REED: I know she does not like to hear this and that is why she keeps interjecting - that governments have a responsibility to ensure that their laws are contemporary and that they do provide police of today with appropriate laws of today to address the community issues of today. That is precisely what the legislation that will be introduced this week will do and it will make the Territory a safer place than it already is notwithstanding that it is the safest place in Australia. If we just sat on our hands and kept the same legislation that has been there forever, instead of progressing and introducing new legislation for contemporary times and current community problems, we would never get anywhere except top of the class for whingeing which Labor has achieved.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016