Mr GUNNER - 2014-05-14
You have cut community safety, crime prevention, general policing, crime detection and investigation and prosecution in the Police budget by $14.5m. As President of the Northern Territory Police Association, Vince Kelly, said, you have broken your promise to deliver 120 extra police. Territorians will have fewer police on the street, less follow-up of crimes and longer wait times for police to respond to their calls because of your decision to cut police resources in this area. Last year, 2013, was the most violent year in the Territory’s history. Why have you responded to the increase in violent crime by cutting frontline police and their services in the Territory?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, what an opportunity to talk about the lowest crime figures in 14 years, lower than the whole time you were in government for eleven-and-a-half years. They are the lowest property crime figures we have seen, the lowest motor vehicle thefts and the lowest assaults and the lowest wholesale alcohol consumption. Member for Nhulunbuy, who cannot keep quiet during Question Time – 11% reduction in wholesale alcohol supply in Nhulunbuy, 7% in Alice Springs, 4% across the Territory, the same in Tennant Creek and Katherine.
How well are we doing in crime? Keep rolling up spinner, member for Fannie Bay, it is always good to talk about it.
Let us talk about the March quarter 2014 and the assault figures: 19% fewer assaults Territory-wide assaults. March 2014 versus March 2013. They are down 13% in Palmerston. The members for Drysdale, Brennan and Blain will be very happy about that. The members for Araluen, Greatorex and I, as member for Braitling, are very happy with a 32% reduction in Alice Springs. Member for Katherine – there has been a 21% decrease. There was a 39% decrease in Tennant Creek, member for Barkly; surely you are happy with that, and 16% less in the balance of the NT.
You want to talk about crime statistics …
Mr GUNNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. Why has the Chief Minister decided to cut frontline police and frontline police services by $14.5m in this budget?
Madam SPEAKER: It is not a point of order.
Mr GILES: Let us look around this Chamber. We have Labor and the Country Liberals. Who went to the last election committing 120 extra police? We did. Who has been filling those positions? We have.
The member for Barkly likes to talk about private charters. Who flew back, at his own political expense, from Vietnam to Darwin, to sign a $48m agreement and get 94 additional police based in Darwin to work with Darwin Metropolitan Command to respond to the detention centre facilities and support the needs of Territorians in the Top End? We did – I did. We are building the Northern Territory Police. We are investing in solutions to crime and the justice system – work in a job in the prison system. We have our mandatory alcohol treatment system. It is working across the board and all the responses we are providing …
Ms WALKER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. The question was specifically asking the Chief Minister why $14.5m has been cut from the Police budget.
No point of order, member for Port Darwin, you can probably sit down.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Nhulunbuy, you are on a warning.
Mr Tollner: He said there was an extra $48m.
Mr GILES: That is right, Treasurer, there is an extra $48m coming from the feds for a two-year agreement, and we will continue to recruit more police. It is fantastic to see 14-year lows in criminal activity across the Territory, whether it is assaults, property break-ins, motor vehicle crimes, crimes against a person, sexual assaults or domestic violence, these are all coming down and we are seeing success in what we are doing. All you want to do is cast aspersions on the hard-working police force and the justice system which operates so effectively in the Northern Territory.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, what an opportunity to talk about the lowest crime figures in 14 years, lower than the whole time you were in government for eleven-and-a-half years. They are the lowest property crime figures we have seen, the lowest motor vehicle thefts and the lowest assaults and the lowest wholesale alcohol consumption. Member for Nhulunbuy, who cannot keep quiet during Question Time – 11% reduction in wholesale alcohol supply in Nhulunbuy, 7% in Alice Springs, 4% across the Territory, the same in Tennant Creek and Katherine.
How well are we doing in crime? Keep rolling up spinner, member for Fannie Bay, it is always good to talk about it.
Let us talk about the March quarter 2014 and the assault figures: 19% fewer assaults Territory-wide assaults. March 2014 versus March 2013. They are down 13% in Palmerston. The members for Drysdale, Brennan and Blain will be very happy about that. The members for Araluen, Greatorex and I, as member for Braitling, are very happy with a 32% reduction in Alice Springs. Member for Katherine – there has been a 21% decrease. There was a 39% decrease in Tennant Creek, member for Barkly; surely you are happy with that, and 16% less in the balance of the NT.
You want to talk about crime statistics …
Mr GUNNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. Why has the Chief Minister decided to cut frontline police and frontline police services by $14.5m in this budget?
Madam SPEAKER: It is not a point of order.
Mr GILES: Let us look around this Chamber. We have Labor and the Country Liberals. Who went to the last election committing 120 extra police? We did. Who has been filling those positions? We have.
The member for Barkly likes to talk about private charters. Who flew back, at his own political expense, from Vietnam to Darwin, to sign a $48m agreement and get 94 additional police based in Darwin to work with Darwin Metropolitan Command to respond to the detention centre facilities and support the needs of Territorians in the Top End? We did – I did. We are building the Northern Territory Police. We are investing in solutions to crime and the justice system – work in a job in the prison system. We have our mandatory alcohol treatment system. It is working across the board and all the responses we are providing …
Ms WALKER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. The question was specifically asking the Chief Minister why $14.5m has been cut from the Police budget.
No point of order, member for Port Darwin, you can probably sit down.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Nhulunbuy, you are on a warning.
Mr Tollner: He said there was an extra $48m.
Mr GILES: That is right, Treasurer, there is an extra $48m coming from the feds for a two-year agreement, and we will continue to recruit more police. It is fantastic to see 14-year lows in criminal activity across the Territory, whether it is assaults, property break-ins, motor vehicle crimes, crimes against a person, sexual assaults or domestic violence, these are all coming down and we are seeing success in what we are doing. All you want to do is cast aspersions on the hard-working police force and the justice system which operates so effectively in the Northern Territory.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016