Mr EDE - 1994-11-30
Mr Speaker, at the last sittings of this House, the Chief Minister described as 'frivolous' questions of mine relating to the abysmal lack of resources available to police. The Assistant Commissioner of Police, Graeme Charlwood, has acknowledged now that the CLP government's police recruitment procedures over the past 4 years were wrong. Would the minister explain how the errors in police recruiting policy, as described by Assistant Commissioner Charlwood, were allowed to occur? Who allowed these policy blunders to happen? What has been done in relation to this matter recently?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition takes licence with what has been said by adding to it significantly. In his statement to the press, the assistant commissioner said that, in hindsight, the recruitment policies could have been improved. However, in his usual fashion, the Leader of the Opposition twists that around and dishonestly represents what was said.
Mr Ede: Wrong!
Mr MANZIE: Nevertheless, that is the way in which he usually behaves. So be it, but I thought that I would draw the community's attention to his interpretation of the facts. As was pointed out in this House at the last sittings, the Leader of the Opposition has a very short memory. It was pointed out in this House very clearly that there was a period of time when there was no recruitment and that there had been a change of policy. When I say that the Leader of the Opposition has short-term memory problems, I refer to an item on ABC Radio news yesterday in which he was quoted as saying that the Northern Territory Police Force - and this is in relation to recruitment by Queensland - was hampered by poor recruitment processes and that there was a need for a change. I refer him to what was said in this House at the last sittings some 8 weeks ago. It was pointed out that there had been changes in relation to police recruitment and that there was an approved increase of 40 in the police establishment. This was dating back over a 12-month period. It was pointed out that presently there was a recruit school in training. There are 16 members who are due to graduate on 9 December. I will be very pleased ...
Mr Ede interjecting.
Mr MANZIE: The Leader of the Opposition is chirping again. I am repeating this for the second time in this House. The details are recorded in the Parliamentary Record. However, the Leader of the Opposition does not remember what is said and obviously he does not read the Parliamentary Record. This has been pointed out a number of times during these sittings. I believe the community should be made aware of what I presume is the Leader of the Opposition's laziness in his not reading the record of this parliament. Alternatively, is it his incompetence in forgetting what has been said here? Possibly the reason why he does not remember what has been said is because he continues to interrupt when answers are given.
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Mr Ede interjecting.
Mr MANZIE: He is doing it again.
At the last sittings, I pointed out also that a recruit school of 36 persons had started in August or September this year. I pointed out that, at that time, there were an additional 22 police auxiliaries under training who have since graduated. Thus, at present, we have 52 police recruits in training of whom 16 will graduate on 9 December. I pointed out that the advice from the Commissioner of Police is that there will be a further 30 recruits at the start of January. I pointed out also in this parliament that the Queensland police are attempting to poach Territory police. I can understand why. We are recognised as having the best trained police in the country, and we have a reputation also for having ...
Mr Ede: Victoria and South Australia are doing the same thing.
Mr MANZIE: ... the most honest and effective police force. The Leader of the Opposition may say that South Australia has better police. He can do that ...
Mr Ede: That is garbage!
Mr MANZIE: ... but I disagree with him and I believe most Territorians would too.
Mr Ede: I said that Victoria and South Australia are looking at poaching as well.
Mr MANZIE: He is at it again.
Mr Ede: Why don't you listen to what is going on out there?
Mr MANZIE: He is at it again, Mr Speaker.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr MANZIE: I would not be surprised if he asks a similar question at the next Question Time or at the next sittings because he has not even heard what has been said today.
Mr Ede: I will ask questions until you do something about it.
Mr MANZIE: I pointed out also that, over the next few years, there will be a number of retirements that have been flagged already. There are senior officers who will be reaching the age of 55. I pointed out that the recruitment programs will be tailored to ensure that those retirements are catered for by fresh recruitment. At the last sittings, I pointed out that the recruitment program will take note of the number of retirements and the number of people who are recruited to the Queensland Police Force. I repeat the number that I gave 6 or 7 weeks ago. About a dozen people are expected to be interviewed and possibly recruited by the Queensland police.
I reassure the community and repeat, for the Leader of the Opposition's benefit, that there has been a change in the recruitment processes. There are a number of police - 52 in
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fact - presently in recruitment. Another 30 will commence recruit school in January next year, and there will be further recruit intakes in the middle of the year. Those figures and those facts have been stated previously. The Leader of the Opposition is stuck in his time zone. He is thinking back 12 months, and that is reasonably good for him because usually he is living 5 to 10 years behind the times.
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ANSWER
Mr Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition takes licence with what has been said by adding to it significantly. In his statement to the press, the assistant commissioner said that, in hindsight, the recruitment policies could have been improved. However, in his usual fashion, the Leader of the Opposition twists that around and dishonestly represents what was said.
Mr Ede: Wrong!
Mr MANZIE: Nevertheless, that is the way in which he usually behaves. So be it, but I thought that I would draw the community's attention to his interpretation of the facts. As was pointed out in this House at the last sittings, the Leader of the Opposition has a very short memory. It was pointed out in this House very clearly that there was a period of time when there was no recruitment and that there had been a change of policy. When I say that the Leader of the Opposition has short-term memory problems, I refer to an item on ABC Radio news yesterday in which he was quoted as saying that the Northern Territory Police Force - and this is in relation to recruitment by Queensland - was hampered by poor recruitment processes and that there was a need for a change. I refer him to what was said in this House at the last sittings some 8 weeks ago. It was pointed out that there had been changes in relation to police recruitment and that there was an approved increase of 40 in the police establishment. This was dating back over a 12-month period. It was pointed out that presently there was a recruit school in training. There are 16 members who are due to graduate on 9 December. I will be very pleased ...
Mr Ede interjecting.
Mr MANZIE: The Leader of the Opposition is chirping again. I am repeating this for the second time in this House. The details are recorded in the Parliamentary Record. However, the Leader of the Opposition does not remember what is said and obviously he does not read the Parliamentary Record. This has been pointed out a number of times during these sittings. I believe the community should be made aware of what I presume is the Leader of the Opposition's laziness in his not reading the record of this parliament. Alternatively, is it his incompetence in forgetting what has been said here? Possibly the reason why he does not remember what has been said is because he continues to interrupt when answers are given.
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Mr Ede interjecting.
Mr MANZIE: He is doing it again.
At the last sittings, I pointed out also that a recruit school of 36 persons had started in August or September this year. I pointed out that, at that time, there were an additional 22 police auxiliaries under training who have since graduated. Thus, at present, we have 52 police recruits in training of whom 16 will graduate on 9 December. I pointed out that the advice from the Commissioner of Police is that there will be a further 30 recruits at the start of January. I pointed out also in this parliament that the Queensland police are attempting to poach Territory police. I can understand why. We are recognised as having the best trained police in the country, and we have a reputation also for having ...
Mr Ede: Victoria and South Australia are doing the same thing.
Mr MANZIE: ... the most honest and effective police force. The Leader of the Opposition may say that South Australia has better police. He can do that ...
Mr Ede: That is garbage!
Mr MANZIE: ... but I disagree with him and I believe most Territorians would too.
Mr Ede: I said that Victoria and South Australia are looking at poaching as well.
Mr MANZIE: He is at it again.
Mr Ede: Why don't you listen to what is going on out there?
Mr MANZIE: He is at it again, Mr Speaker.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr MANZIE: I would not be surprised if he asks a similar question at the next Question Time or at the next sittings because he has not even heard what has been said today.
Mr Ede: I will ask questions until you do something about it.
Mr MANZIE: I pointed out also that, over the next few years, there will be a number of retirements that have been flagged already. There are senior officers who will be reaching the age of 55. I pointed out that the recruitment programs will be tailored to ensure that those retirements are catered for by fresh recruitment. At the last sittings, I pointed out that the recruitment program will take note of the number of retirements and the number of people who are recruited to the Queensland Police Force. I repeat the number that I gave 6 or 7 weeks ago. About a dozen people are expected to be interviewed and possibly recruited by the Queensland police.
I reassure the community and repeat, for the Leader of the Opposition's benefit, that there has been a change in the recruitment processes. There are a number of police - 52 in
Page 349
fact - presently in recruitment. Another 30 will commence recruit school in January next year, and there will be further recruit intakes in the middle of the year. Those figures and those facts have been stated previously. The Leader of the Opposition is stuck in his time zone. He is thinking back 12 months, and that is reasonably good for him because usually he is living 5 to 10 years behind the times.
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Last updated: 09 Aug 2016