Mr McCARTHY - 1998-10-07
In December last year, the Minister for Police, Fire and Emergency Services launched a high-profile remote area police presence. This has been a particularly obvious presence to those of us who travel in the remote areas regularly. But I have heard very little about the outcomes of that program. Could the minister please provide the House with advice on whether in fact this initiative has been successful?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, the member for Goyder would of course be interested in this matter. It is a shame that members opposite do not demonstrate a similar level of interest.
The remote area police patrols have been, I think, very successful in providing an extension of educational services from police to remote communities. They have done that by way of the introduction of the 4 4-wheel-drive vehicles that were put into practice just before Christmas last year. Notwithstanding a bit of a setback with loss of one of the vehicles in the Katherine flood, the statistics are, I think, most impressive in relation to what police have achieved with the remote area patrols.
The vehicles – I suppose a number of members might have seen them – are very distinctive. They have a high visibility level and they have conducted regular highway patrols from all major centres. They participate in programmed and non-programmed traffic and road safety campaigns and conduct programmed random breath-testing stations in remote areas. They have been able through their activities to extend police service to remoter parts of the Territory. They have been providing educational literature and advice to remote communities and tourists, and conducting joint traffic campaigns in conjunction with remote area patrols from major centres. From that point of view, the police in these remote area police patrol vehicles have been able to provide a much \higher level of support to staff in remote area police stations than has been possible in the past.
They have been very well received by the public and, of course, considering the high number of tourist vehicles on the roads this year, I think they have also been of assistance in comforting, I suppose, tourists to the Northern Territory through their visibility, and in lending assistance in the event that they have to.
I have some statistics for the member for Goyder. The following results were produced in the operation of the program to 30 June 1998, just over a 6-month period. There were 103 separate communities visited, 6970 people were spoken to, 162 random breath-testing stations were conducted; 3943 motorists were random breath-tested; 269 traffic infringement notices were issued; 34 arrests were made; 5 motor vehicle accidents were attended, and 84 073 km were travelled.
It is intended, based on the success of the patrols, to continue them and to involve the remote area patrols in the recently introduced Aboriginal road safety initiative, whereby Aboriginal community police officers will be taking the lead in education and traffic enforcement in Aboriginal communities. The police in the remote area police patrol vehicles will be able to assist them and provide combined patrols to these areas and be a pivotal part of that program.
I think members would clearly see from those statistics the improved level, and increased level, of policing in remote areas, particularly along the major roads. The honourable member for Goyder would obviously be interested in the Arnhem Highway, for example, because it passes through his electorate.
The patrols also provide a valuable link to police located at the outstations. Extra manpower can be provided when required, road safety oriented presences can be increased, and other support given as needed. I think the police, our very professional police, have again shown that they have the capacity to improve services to the people of the Northern Territory and, in this case, to those in remote areas using our major roads. I am sure that would be welcomed by members in this House, and I congratulate police for the success they have made of the remote area police patrols.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, the member for Goyder would of course be interested in this matter. It is a shame that members opposite do not demonstrate a similar level of interest.
The remote area police patrols have been, I think, very successful in providing an extension of educational services from police to remote communities. They have done that by way of the introduction of the 4 4-wheel-drive vehicles that were put into practice just before Christmas last year. Notwithstanding a bit of a setback with loss of one of the vehicles in the Katherine flood, the statistics are, I think, most impressive in relation to what police have achieved with the remote area patrols.
The vehicles – I suppose a number of members might have seen them – are very distinctive. They have a high visibility level and they have conducted regular highway patrols from all major centres. They participate in programmed and non-programmed traffic and road safety campaigns and conduct programmed random breath-testing stations in remote areas. They have been able through their activities to extend police service to remoter parts of the Territory. They have been providing educational literature and advice to remote communities and tourists, and conducting joint traffic campaigns in conjunction with remote area patrols from major centres. From that point of view, the police in these remote area police patrol vehicles have been able to provide a much \higher level of support to staff in remote area police stations than has been possible in the past.
They have been very well received by the public and, of course, considering the high number of tourist vehicles on the roads this year, I think they have also been of assistance in comforting, I suppose, tourists to the Northern Territory through their visibility, and in lending assistance in the event that they have to.
I have some statistics for the member for Goyder. The following results were produced in the operation of the program to 30 June 1998, just over a 6-month period. There were 103 separate communities visited, 6970 people were spoken to, 162 random breath-testing stations were conducted; 3943 motorists were random breath-tested; 269 traffic infringement notices were issued; 34 arrests were made; 5 motor vehicle accidents were attended, and 84 073 km were travelled.
It is intended, based on the success of the patrols, to continue them and to involve the remote area patrols in the recently introduced Aboriginal road safety initiative, whereby Aboriginal community police officers will be taking the lead in education and traffic enforcement in Aboriginal communities. The police in the remote area police patrol vehicles will be able to assist them and provide combined patrols to these areas and be a pivotal part of that program.
I think members would clearly see from those statistics the improved level, and increased level, of policing in remote areas, particularly along the major roads. The honourable member for Goyder would obviously be interested in the Arnhem Highway, for example, because it passes through his electorate.
The patrols also provide a valuable link to police located at the outstations. Extra manpower can be provided when required, road safety oriented presences can be increased, and other support given as needed. I think the police, our very professional police, have again shown that they have the capacity to improve services to the people of the Northern Territory and, in this case, to those in remote areas using our major roads. I am sure that would be welcomed by members in this House, and I congratulate police for the success they have made of the remote area police patrols.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016