Mr EDE - 1994-08-31
Mr Speaker, no doubt, the Chief Minister felt wounded when his government was savaged by the Police Association for failing Territorians. Is the Chief Minister aware that yesterday the Police Association Conference passed a resolution of support for its Executive Officer, Max Hill? Can the Chief Minister tell the Assembly why he decided to attack Max Hill personally for telling the truth about the disgraceful state of police staffing and funding? Has the Police Association joined the list of organisations whose officers are attacked personally now because they complain about CLP government failure?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, I was unaware of motions passed at the Police Association Conference yesterday. I had my mind on other matters, but I hope that the association and the Leader of the Opposition will forgive me for not keeping track of that closely.
I make no apology whatsoever for my response to the criticisms of the association's spokesman. I meant what I said at the time. I do not believe that this government's funding or staffing of the Northern Territory Police Force is deficient in any way. Police numbers in the Northern Territory have been increased very substantially. That is indicated by the arrangements to recruit additional police to cover the current resignation rate, which the Minister for Police outlined yesterday, and the decisions in 2 consecutive budgets. Those additional officers are in the process of being recruited now.
This government is very proud of its record in relation to police. The Northern Territory Police Force is very well equipped by the standards of police forces anywhere. I believe that it is a well-manned force. Certainly, it will be manned adequately once the recruitment procedures are completed in relation to the decisions we made, last financial year and the previous financial year, to increase police numbers by, I believe, 40 officers. Members will be aware that the police in the Northern Territory ...
Mr Ede: What is the net effect?
Mr PERRON: Per head of population, we already have more than twice the police numbers of any place in Australia. There is a good reason for that.
Ours is a very professional police force, and we have expressed our support for it many times in this Assembly. In fact, somewhat amazingly, opposition members also have expressed support for the police and their work from time to time in the past, notwithstanding their preposterous gaffes over issues such as what was called the Mulholland inquiry etc. That embarrassed them massively, particularly the former Leader of the Opposition. I suggest that his political demise was contributed to very significantly by the opposition's appalling stance in not supporting the police, the Commissioner of Police, the Ombudsman and the Solicitor-General in performing their job of examining police investigations. I understand the opposition being somewhat sensitive about the matter of police.
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Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr PERRON: Mr Speaker, that concludes my remarks. I regard the Leader of the Opposition's question as being somewhat frivolous.
Page 113
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, I was unaware of motions passed at the Police Association Conference yesterday. I had my mind on other matters, but I hope that the association and the Leader of the Opposition will forgive me for not keeping track of that closely.
I make no apology whatsoever for my response to the criticisms of the association's spokesman. I meant what I said at the time. I do not believe that this government's funding or staffing of the Northern Territory Police Force is deficient in any way. Police numbers in the Northern Territory have been increased very substantially. That is indicated by the arrangements to recruit additional police to cover the current resignation rate, which the Minister for Police outlined yesterday, and the decisions in 2 consecutive budgets. Those additional officers are in the process of being recruited now.
This government is very proud of its record in relation to police. The Northern Territory Police Force is very well equipped by the standards of police forces anywhere. I believe that it is a well-manned force. Certainly, it will be manned adequately once the recruitment procedures are completed in relation to the decisions we made, last financial year and the previous financial year, to increase police numbers by, I believe, 40 officers. Members will be aware that the police in the Northern Territory ...
Mr Ede: What is the net effect?
Mr PERRON: Per head of population, we already have more than twice the police numbers of any place in Australia. There is a good reason for that.
Ours is a very professional police force, and we have expressed our support for it many times in this Assembly. In fact, somewhat amazingly, opposition members also have expressed support for the police and their work from time to time in the past, notwithstanding their preposterous gaffes over issues such as what was called the Mulholland inquiry etc. That embarrassed them massively, particularly the former Leader of the Opposition. I suggest that his political demise was contributed to very significantly by the opposition's appalling stance in not supporting the police, the Commissioner of Police, the Ombudsman and the Solicitor-General in performing their job of examining police investigations. I understand the opposition being somewhat sensitive about the matter of police.
Page 112
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr PERRON: Mr Speaker, that concludes my remarks. I regard the Leader of the Opposition's question as being somewhat frivolous.
Page 113
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016