Ms MARTIN - 2000-02-22
As Attorney-General in October 1996, you told this House that, and I quote: ‘It is also the government’s hope that the legislation will lead in time to a reduction in the crime rate for property offences and a reduction in the rate of crime generally’. Mandatory sentencing – your introduction.
The Attorney also told the House: ‘The government believes these proposals for compulsory imprisonment have the following benefits: Imprisonment is a deterrent to offending’.
CLP candidate for Port Darwin, Sue Carter, today told ABC Radio: ‘There has never been a claim by the government that mandatory sentencing will reduce crime’. Who is misleading Territorians, the Chief Minister, Sue Carter or both of them?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, there has never been a claim by the Northern Territory government that mandatory sentencing by itself ...
Members interjecting.
Mr BURKE: Mr Speaker, is it so unfair for me to say that we ever claimed mandatory sentencing by itself would reduce crime, when all of the accusations by the opposition are that mandatory sentencing is the only policy we have in place to reduce crime. That is a simple rebut to their accusations. Never did we claim that mandatory sentencing by itself would reduce crime. If we want to reduce crime, which we do, and we ...
Mr Stirling interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr BURKE: Fundamental to reducing crime in the Northern Territory is to provide a good economy. Fundamental to reducing crime is to provide a good lifestyle for Territorians. Fundamental to reducing crime is to put bread on the table. Fundamental to reducing crime is having all the programs we have through Territory Health Services to deal with domestic violence and various other programs and better parenting programs. Fundamental to reducing crime is dealing with our education system with school-based constables and the many programs including the DARE programs that we have in our schools.
If we talk about the strategies we have in place in the Northern Territory to reduce crime, there are many, a number of them, and mandatory sentencing is one. It is one aspect of reducing crime with the central focus of mandatory sentencing being to send a very clear message to the criminal that if you persist in this activity, you will most definitely go to gaol. I am not one to run around figures in this House. I have always said that statistics are statistics and people can deal with them and twist them the way they wish, but we do not tell the Australian Bureau of Statistics how to write their results, and during the period of ...
Mr Stirling interjecting.
Mr BURKE: This is an independent organisation. It is fairly well regarded I would suggest, and it has said that during the period of 1995 to 1998, reported crimes ...
Mr Stirling: This is 2000, you goose. We are now in 2000.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! The member for Nhulunbuy.
Mr BURKE: You don’t like those figures, do you?
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! I warn the member for Nhulunbuy. You are warned.
Mr BURKE: They don’t like ABS figures, they would rather go to Neighbourhood Watch and pick out a few suburbs. These are ABS figures. If they were up to the year 2000, which they are not, I would produce them. I am pleased to say that when we look at certain types of crime, property crime in the Northern Territory, it says this - victimisation rates were higher in 1998 than in 1995 in all jurisdictions except Victoria, Western Australia and, surprise, surprise, the Northern Territory. Between 1995 and 1998 victims of unlawful entry with intent per 100 000 persons fell by 14% in the Northern Territory.
Now, we don't claim that any one program or any one initiative of government would lead by itself to reducing crime, but it is very pleasing to look at the way the Northern Territory does show up in results nationally.
Ms MARTIN: A point of order, Mr Speaker! Does the Chief Minister know what the date is - that it is February 2000.
Mr SPEAKER: There is no point of order.
Mr BURKE: Mr Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition is an extremely odd person. She demonstrates continually in this House her lack of understanding of the periods that data is gathered and produced so that government can use it. I would add, it is also pleasing to note that with regard to motor vehicles stolen per 100 000 persons in the Northern Territory in 1998, it was 23% lower than the 1995 figure for the Territory where it has fallen every year over the period.
As I said, I don't point to one program or government initiative alone to reducing crime. Many of the programs in health and education are equally important to those that are conducted by police, and the ones that we have, including mandatory sentencing. But it’s very pleasing to see, in total, that reduction in the crime rate, as reported by the ABS. I just wonder how the critics, including the members opposite, deal with those sorts of figures.
The Attorney also told the House: ‘The government believes these proposals for compulsory imprisonment have the following benefits: Imprisonment is a deterrent to offending’.
CLP candidate for Port Darwin, Sue Carter, today told ABC Radio: ‘There has never been a claim by the government that mandatory sentencing will reduce crime’. Who is misleading Territorians, the Chief Minister, Sue Carter or both of them?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, there has never been a claim by the Northern Territory government that mandatory sentencing by itself ...
Members interjecting.
Mr BURKE: Mr Speaker, is it so unfair for me to say that we ever claimed mandatory sentencing by itself would reduce crime, when all of the accusations by the opposition are that mandatory sentencing is the only policy we have in place to reduce crime. That is a simple rebut to their accusations. Never did we claim that mandatory sentencing by itself would reduce crime. If we want to reduce crime, which we do, and we ...
Mr Stirling interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr BURKE: Fundamental to reducing crime in the Northern Territory is to provide a good economy. Fundamental to reducing crime is to provide a good lifestyle for Territorians. Fundamental to reducing crime is to put bread on the table. Fundamental to reducing crime is having all the programs we have through Territory Health Services to deal with domestic violence and various other programs and better parenting programs. Fundamental to reducing crime is dealing with our education system with school-based constables and the many programs including the DARE programs that we have in our schools.
If we talk about the strategies we have in place in the Northern Territory to reduce crime, there are many, a number of them, and mandatory sentencing is one. It is one aspect of reducing crime with the central focus of mandatory sentencing being to send a very clear message to the criminal that if you persist in this activity, you will most definitely go to gaol. I am not one to run around figures in this House. I have always said that statistics are statistics and people can deal with them and twist them the way they wish, but we do not tell the Australian Bureau of Statistics how to write their results, and during the period of ...
Mr Stirling interjecting.
Mr BURKE: This is an independent organisation. It is fairly well regarded I would suggest, and it has said that during the period of 1995 to 1998, reported crimes ...
Mr Stirling: This is 2000, you goose. We are now in 2000.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! The member for Nhulunbuy.
Mr BURKE: You don’t like those figures, do you?
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! I warn the member for Nhulunbuy. You are warned.
Mr BURKE: They don’t like ABS figures, they would rather go to Neighbourhood Watch and pick out a few suburbs. These are ABS figures. If they were up to the year 2000, which they are not, I would produce them. I am pleased to say that when we look at certain types of crime, property crime in the Northern Territory, it says this - victimisation rates were higher in 1998 than in 1995 in all jurisdictions except Victoria, Western Australia and, surprise, surprise, the Northern Territory. Between 1995 and 1998 victims of unlawful entry with intent per 100 000 persons fell by 14% in the Northern Territory.
Now, we don't claim that any one program or any one initiative of government would lead by itself to reducing crime, but it is very pleasing to look at the way the Northern Territory does show up in results nationally.
Ms MARTIN: A point of order, Mr Speaker! Does the Chief Minister know what the date is - that it is February 2000.
Mr SPEAKER: There is no point of order.
Mr BURKE: Mr Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition is an extremely odd person. She demonstrates continually in this House her lack of understanding of the periods that data is gathered and produced so that government can use it. I would add, it is also pleasing to note that with regard to motor vehicles stolen per 100 000 persons in the Northern Territory in 1998, it was 23% lower than the 1995 figure for the Territory where it has fallen every year over the period.
As I said, I don't point to one program or government initiative alone to reducing crime. Many of the programs in health and education are equally important to those that are conducted by police, and the ones that we have, including mandatory sentencing. But it’s very pleasing to see, in total, that reduction in the crime rate, as reported by the ABS. I just wonder how the critics, including the members opposite, deal with those sorts of figures.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016