Mr BURKE - 2007-02-22
Since coming to office in 2001, the Martin Labor government has strongly pursued the perpetrators of crime by tackling the causes of crime and providing the resources to catch and punish those who commit crime. Can the minister advise my constituents whether these actions have been successful in bringing down crime levels over the last five years?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Brennan for his question. I advise all his constituents, and have it on the Parliamentary Record for all Territorians to see, where we have arrived at with this question of crime.
Together with the handling of the economy, which is a key focus for us, the reduction of crime across our community is right up there alongside that as a priority and a key focus. When we came to office in August 2001, it was no secret that our predecessors, the CLP government, had long before taken their eye off the question of crime. The criminal effects of drugs, which were well known in the community by and large, were totally dismissed by the Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister of the day. Dismissed as not being an issue, despite the fact that Territorians well knew, and research well showed us the link between the abuse of drugs and property crime. For four years, in the term of office, they failed to recruit one police officer into the police force.
So all that meant was that, in 2001, the task we had to undertake was made much more significant by that neglect. We have taken a number of actions across a number of areas to tackle crime. First and foremost, the O’Sullivan Report increased the budget of Police, Fire and Emergency Services by 55%, a cost of $75m, now translated into, to quote the Police Commissioner, ‘an extra 215 police’. That was what was required in order to catch up to a level of service required by the community.
We have tackled drugs with new and tougher drug laws, penalties and forfeiture, including forfeiture of the proceeds of crime. We have bought police better equipment; we have tackled antisocial behaviour with strong laws; we are addressing issues of violence; and we have tackled the issue of gangs with the legislation passed last year. Substance abuse, particularly alcohol abuse, is being addressed at a community level. We have innovative approaches at Groote Eylandt with the permit system. I am pleased to say that soon a version of it is to be imported into my home town of Nhulunbuy.
We have seen the situation at Alice Springs with the alcohol restrictions. We have seen the Tiwi Islands alcohol restrictions going from full strength to mid-strength beer. Those results are significant. On Groote Eylandt, restrictions have seen crime plummet. On Tiwi, with the move to mid-strength and light beer, police overtime has plummeted, which has to tell you that so also has the antisocial behaviour and crime. In Alice Springs, the anecdotal evidence so far suggests hospital presentations as a result of alcohol abuse are decreasing.
Over the last five years, right across the board, crime figures have revealed significant falls in the level of crime in our community. To be more specific, house break-ins are down 50% over the last six years; break-ins to commercial and other premises are down 31% over the last six years; motor vehicle and related offences show a 51% decrease over the last six years; other theft is down by 25% over the last six years; and property damage is down 29% over the last six years. In total, there are 10 272 fewer property offences than six years ago. That is 10 272 Territorians who have not been broken into over the past six years since we have been in government, or almost that time, as compared to the front page week after week, day after day run by the Northern Territory News through 1999, 2000 and 2001 in and around burglaries, property offences, break-ins and those sorts of crimes. Sexual assaults decreased 21% over the same time period.
Each of those figures suggests that much has been done to make the Territory a safer place. More has to be done; we acknowledge that. But I will tell you what we will not do: we will not take our eye off the ball, we will not get complacent about these results in the way that we saw our predecessors do and the damage that that caused to the Territory. We have tackled these issues head on. We will continue to work with our communities to make them even more safe.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Brennan for his question. I advise all his constituents, and have it on the Parliamentary Record for all Territorians to see, where we have arrived at with this question of crime.
Together with the handling of the economy, which is a key focus for us, the reduction of crime across our community is right up there alongside that as a priority and a key focus. When we came to office in August 2001, it was no secret that our predecessors, the CLP government, had long before taken their eye off the question of crime. The criminal effects of drugs, which were well known in the community by and large, were totally dismissed by the Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister of the day. Dismissed as not being an issue, despite the fact that Territorians well knew, and research well showed us the link between the abuse of drugs and property crime. For four years, in the term of office, they failed to recruit one police officer into the police force.
So all that meant was that, in 2001, the task we had to undertake was made much more significant by that neglect. We have taken a number of actions across a number of areas to tackle crime. First and foremost, the O’Sullivan Report increased the budget of Police, Fire and Emergency Services by 55%, a cost of $75m, now translated into, to quote the Police Commissioner, ‘an extra 215 police’. That was what was required in order to catch up to a level of service required by the community.
We have tackled drugs with new and tougher drug laws, penalties and forfeiture, including forfeiture of the proceeds of crime. We have bought police better equipment; we have tackled antisocial behaviour with strong laws; we are addressing issues of violence; and we have tackled the issue of gangs with the legislation passed last year. Substance abuse, particularly alcohol abuse, is being addressed at a community level. We have innovative approaches at Groote Eylandt with the permit system. I am pleased to say that soon a version of it is to be imported into my home town of Nhulunbuy.
We have seen the situation at Alice Springs with the alcohol restrictions. We have seen the Tiwi Islands alcohol restrictions going from full strength to mid-strength beer. Those results are significant. On Groote Eylandt, restrictions have seen crime plummet. On Tiwi, with the move to mid-strength and light beer, police overtime has plummeted, which has to tell you that so also has the antisocial behaviour and crime. In Alice Springs, the anecdotal evidence so far suggests hospital presentations as a result of alcohol abuse are decreasing.
Over the last five years, right across the board, crime figures have revealed significant falls in the level of crime in our community. To be more specific, house break-ins are down 50% over the last six years; break-ins to commercial and other premises are down 31% over the last six years; motor vehicle and related offences show a 51% decrease over the last six years; other theft is down by 25% over the last six years; and property damage is down 29% over the last six years. In total, there are 10 272 fewer property offences than six years ago. That is 10 272 Territorians who have not been broken into over the past six years since we have been in government, or almost that time, as compared to the front page week after week, day after day run by the Northern Territory News through 1999, 2000 and 2001 in and around burglaries, property offences, break-ins and those sorts of crimes. Sexual assaults decreased 21% over the same time period.
Each of those figures suggests that much has been done to make the Territory a safer place. More has to be done; we acknowledge that. But I will tell you what we will not do: we will not take our eye off the ball, we will not get complacent about these results in the way that we saw our predecessors do and the damage that that caused to the Territory. We have tackled these issues head on. We will continue to work with our communities to make them even more safe.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016