Mr TOLLNER - 2012-05-02
In 2008, your government committed to funding for the establishment of a permanent police post from 2009-10 in the Bagot community, with four additional police officers and two auxiliaries to be recruited for the positions. The post would be staffed around hot spot, times as determined by police. The same commitment was given in 2009-10 and, I believe, in a debate in this House in 2011. Can you direct me to where I can find that police post in the budget and, if it is not there, why have you broken your election commitment?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, the member for Fong Lim is correct, the police post has not been built and there are reasons for that. Our commitment to policing Bagot is unparalleled. We are employing more Aboriginal Community Police Officers than ever before across the Northern Territory. We are seeing those Aboriginal Community Police Officers tracked on a pathway through to becoming fully-sworn police officers.
I am very proud of the work our police force has done to significantly increase the number of fully-sworn Aboriginal police officers and ACPOs across the Northern Territory.
In relation to a policing strategy for Bagot, those ACPOs and fully-sworn officers are not sitting in an office, they are at Bagot. There are regular patrols through there and a real focus on that.
Yes, we have not built the police post, but we have significantly increased policing in Bagot, and significantly increased the commitment to more Indigenous people within our police force to police these areas. I put that on the public record, and also say we know one of the areas the CLP would cut would be to close all police posts across the Northern Territory. We know the Leader of the Opposition is opposed to those. They will face the axe if the Leader of the Opposition was ever to become the Chief Minister of the Northern Territory. We would see the police force, along with all other government agencies, starved of funds. The recruitment freeze would be back on, as it was on for nearly five years under a CLP government.
Our track record of over 400 additional police officers over this term of government has been unparalleled since self-government, with more police throughout the Northern Territory. That also includes the Bagot community.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, the member for Fong Lim is correct, the police post has not been built and there are reasons for that. Our commitment to policing Bagot is unparalleled. We are employing more Aboriginal Community Police Officers than ever before across the Northern Territory. We are seeing those Aboriginal Community Police Officers tracked on a pathway through to becoming fully-sworn police officers.
I am very proud of the work our police force has done to significantly increase the number of fully-sworn Aboriginal police officers and ACPOs across the Northern Territory.
In relation to a policing strategy for Bagot, those ACPOs and fully-sworn officers are not sitting in an office, they are at Bagot. There are regular patrols through there and a real focus on that.
Yes, we have not built the police post, but we have significantly increased policing in Bagot, and significantly increased the commitment to more Indigenous people within our police force to police these areas. I put that on the public record, and also say we know one of the areas the CLP would cut would be to close all police posts across the Northern Territory. We know the Leader of the Opposition is opposed to those. They will face the axe if the Leader of the Opposition was ever to become the Chief Minister of the Northern Territory. We would see the police force, along with all other government agencies, starved of funds. The recruitment freeze would be back on, as it was on for nearly five years under a CLP government.
Our track record of over 400 additional police officers over this term of government has been unparalleled since self-government, with more police throughout the Northern Territory. That also includes the Bagot community.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016