Mr MILLS - 2000-02-23
During the last election campaign the CLP government promised 150 extra police to be recruited over the next term. Can the minister inform the House when this increase to the police numbers will be complete?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, Territorians would be interested in hearing some information in relation to the progress that has been made on the CLP’s election commitment of 1997, where compared with the ALP who promised an increase in police numbers of 100, the CLP promised an increase of 150 and we are well advanced in achieving that.
It’s a demonstration of the commitment of the CLP in keeping its election commitments and making sure that Territorians are safe and that our police force is both well staffed and well resourced. As a matter of interest I should tell the House, at least members opposite, that in 1995-96 the budget figure, in Budget Paper No 2, for police was $83 242 000; in 1999-00 it was $121 585 000. That’s an increase of 46.06%, and in monetary terms that’s a clear indication of the additional resources that we’ve provided to the Department of Police, Fire and Emergency Services.
I can assure honourable members that we will continue with that commitment. From the point of view of some of the issues that concern us all, I know that I’ve had representations from the member for Jingili and the member for Casuarina and others. Indeed, I’ve had representations myself in relation to, in particular, antisocial behaviour across certain parts of the Northern Territory, that police are proactive in addressing that, but it is not a matter that can be ...
Ms Martin interjecting.
Mr REED: Well, the Leader of the Opposition interjects. I have also had representations from the CLP candidate, Sue Carter, but I haven’t heard from the ALP chap. So it is interesting to note where people’s priorities lay. But there is a common thread that runs right across the Northern Territory in relation to antisocial behaviour, and that is alcohol.
Mr Stirling: We have known that for 25 years.
Mr REED: Well, we did more than you. You promised 100 police and we put in place an extra 150. That will increase police numbers from 779 to 929 by the end of next financial year. I can assure members that funding will be provided not only to lift the police establishment numbers to 929, but sufficient funding to fill all of those positions, so there will be 929 fully paid police positions at the end of the next financial year.
But to get back to the point before the interjections from members opposite, police can’t be expected to address this issue of alcohol alone and unassisted by the community. It is most important that the community provides support to the police. There are now some models across the Northern Territory that are shown to work - the Tennant Creek Thirsty Thursday that the Leader of the Opposition would be very familiar with. I was in Tennant Creek for a couple of days last week, didn’t see the former leader of the opposition I must say, but I was there for a couple of days last week, and was able to talk to people there.
Mrs Hickey interjecting.
Mr REED: What did I mention her name for. It started her off. I will press the stop button, Maggie.
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! Order!
Mr REED: So, from that point of view I think members should look at the model of Tennant Creek that has been successful. There’s another model now in Katherine, where, because of community interest and a desire to assist police and to overcome some problems in Katherine, that they have got together.
The honourable member for Nhulunbuy can run mirthfully with all sorts of digressions and not be serious about the issues, but people listening will judge him on his lack of performance ...
Mr Ah Kit interjecting.
Mr REED: ... not to mention the member for Arnhem. But that has assisted police ...
Mr Ah Kit interjecting.
Mr REED: I was interested last week to hear a comment from someone who works in a business premises in Katherine, who said that prior to the new liquor trading arrangements being put in place, that they were ringing police 4 or 5 times a day - a day - for matters of antisocial behaviour, alcohol related, and since the new reduced liquor trading hours have come in place, they haven’t had to phone them once. Anecdotal evidence, agreeably, but it does demonstrate that there is community support for the police that is required.
It has to be a community response, and I would ask members in relation to their electorates to look at it from that point of view, see if you can get a community group together. I know the member for Jingili has in fact, in a number of places, and the member for Casuarina similarly, and that other members are doing likewise. It’s a pity the inactivity on the other side of the House is a bit the same. But those programs can work, and on a constituency, on an electorate basis, or an urban suburb basis, there could be the opportunity to look at those issues. There are always people who are going to oppose any reduction in liquor trading hours, and for all sorts of different reasons. But if we are going to be serious about addressing the issue, just don’t expect the police to be the only respondents. They are good, professional, hard-working police. An excellent example - 24 hours ago, or just over, there was an armed robbery by 2 people and 2 people have been charged by them. They are hard working, they are effective, and, in the case of those armed robberies, they are not easy crimes to solve, and, who knows, their further investigations might link that with previous offences and wipe up a few of them. Then we might hear a bit of credit coming from the Labor Party in relation to the effectiveness of Northern Territory police, rather than just effectiveness.
So, the program has worked well, we will achieve 929 fully paid positions for the police force by the end of next financial year, and with the support of the community across the Northern Territory will see improvements in the way that the community should rightly expect.
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, Territorians would be interested in hearing some information in relation to the progress that has been made on the CLP’s election commitment of 1997, where compared with the ALP who promised an increase in police numbers of 100, the CLP promised an increase of 150 and we are well advanced in achieving that.
It’s a demonstration of the commitment of the CLP in keeping its election commitments and making sure that Territorians are safe and that our police force is both well staffed and well resourced. As a matter of interest I should tell the House, at least members opposite, that in 1995-96 the budget figure, in Budget Paper No 2, for police was $83 242 000; in 1999-00 it was $121 585 000. That’s an increase of 46.06%, and in monetary terms that’s a clear indication of the additional resources that we’ve provided to the Department of Police, Fire and Emergency Services.
I can assure honourable members that we will continue with that commitment. From the point of view of some of the issues that concern us all, I know that I’ve had representations from the member for Jingili and the member for Casuarina and others. Indeed, I’ve had representations myself in relation to, in particular, antisocial behaviour across certain parts of the Northern Territory, that police are proactive in addressing that, but it is not a matter that can be ...
Ms Martin interjecting.
Mr REED: Well, the Leader of the Opposition interjects. I have also had representations from the CLP candidate, Sue Carter, but I haven’t heard from the ALP chap. So it is interesting to note where people’s priorities lay. But there is a common thread that runs right across the Northern Territory in relation to antisocial behaviour, and that is alcohol.
Mr Stirling: We have known that for 25 years.
Mr REED: Well, we did more than you. You promised 100 police and we put in place an extra 150. That will increase police numbers from 779 to 929 by the end of next financial year. I can assure members that funding will be provided not only to lift the police establishment numbers to 929, but sufficient funding to fill all of those positions, so there will be 929 fully paid police positions at the end of the next financial year.
But to get back to the point before the interjections from members opposite, police can’t be expected to address this issue of alcohol alone and unassisted by the community. It is most important that the community provides support to the police. There are now some models across the Northern Territory that are shown to work - the Tennant Creek Thirsty Thursday that the Leader of the Opposition would be very familiar with. I was in Tennant Creek for a couple of days last week, didn’t see the former leader of the opposition I must say, but I was there for a couple of days last week, and was able to talk to people there.
Mrs Hickey interjecting.
Mr REED: What did I mention her name for. It started her off. I will press the stop button, Maggie.
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! Order!
Mr REED: So, from that point of view I think members should look at the model of Tennant Creek that has been successful. There’s another model now in Katherine, where, because of community interest and a desire to assist police and to overcome some problems in Katherine, that they have got together.
The honourable member for Nhulunbuy can run mirthfully with all sorts of digressions and not be serious about the issues, but people listening will judge him on his lack of performance ...
Mr Ah Kit interjecting.
Mr REED: ... not to mention the member for Arnhem. But that has assisted police ...
Mr Ah Kit interjecting.
Mr REED: I was interested last week to hear a comment from someone who works in a business premises in Katherine, who said that prior to the new liquor trading arrangements being put in place, that they were ringing police 4 or 5 times a day - a day - for matters of antisocial behaviour, alcohol related, and since the new reduced liquor trading hours have come in place, they haven’t had to phone them once. Anecdotal evidence, agreeably, but it does demonstrate that there is community support for the police that is required.
It has to be a community response, and I would ask members in relation to their electorates to look at it from that point of view, see if you can get a community group together. I know the member for Jingili has in fact, in a number of places, and the member for Casuarina similarly, and that other members are doing likewise. It’s a pity the inactivity on the other side of the House is a bit the same. But those programs can work, and on a constituency, on an electorate basis, or an urban suburb basis, there could be the opportunity to look at those issues. There are always people who are going to oppose any reduction in liquor trading hours, and for all sorts of different reasons. But if we are going to be serious about addressing the issue, just don’t expect the police to be the only respondents. They are good, professional, hard-working police. An excellent example - 24 hours ago, or just over, there was an armed robbery by 2 people and 2 people have been charged by them. They are hard working, they are effective, and, in the case of those armed robberies, they are not easy crimes to solve, and, who knows, their further investigations might link that with previous offences and wipe up a few of them. Then we might hear a bit of credit coming from the Labor Party in relation to the effectiveness of Northern Territory police, rather than just effectiveness.
So, the program has worked well, we will achieve 929 fully paid positions for the police force by the end of next financial year, and with the support of the community across the Northern Territory will see improvements in the way that the community should rightly expect.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016