Ms LAWRIE - 2005-03-22
Could you please outline government plans to roll out improved and strengthened police in Central Australia, and any alternative approaches that might be being promoted?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Karama for her question, because she is vitally interested in the capacity of police to deliver services to Territorians. It is interesting to note that the Leader of the Opposition’s first question today was only the second question in three-and-a-half years that he has actually asked on issues relating to Central Australia and Alice Springs. However, I move on.
This is a government that is committed to building safer communities, and to building the strength of our police force. Only 18 months ago, we announced a $75m plan to rebuild our police force after years of neglect, and see an extra 200 police out on the streets across the Northern Territory by the end of 2006.
We are also committing to police resources in other areas as well. Late last year, a new police plane, based in Alice Springs, has given the police capacity to respond to communities in Central Australia at a much quicker rate than they have in the past. We completed a new police station in Kintore, which has provided significant enhancement to law and order, not only in that community but in surrounding communities. We have upgraded infrastructure in all police stations. We are upgrading police houses in Alice Springs to try and keep police in our police force for longer, and give them decent conditions of service. We have also seen the trial of horse patrols here, and the feedback I have had as Police minister has been very promising.
More importantly, it is about extra police on the beat. We have seen at least 11 new officers ready for more patrols and proactive policing in Alice Springs. The commitment of extra resources, the great work the police are doing in targeting crime, since we came to government, has seen a reduction of property crime in Alice Springs of 43%. This is a government that actually leads by action, puts the resources where they are needed, resulting in a reduction of property crime in Alice Springs of 43%.
Not only that, we have attacked people who peddle drugs in our community as has never been done before. We have introduced drug house legislation that has seen those notorious drug dens closed down. We have introduced forfeiture of assets legislation that has seen the police seize $1.5m worth of ill-gotten assets from criminals across the Northern Territory. We have seen drug dogs introduced into our police force to, again, put the pressure on those drug dealers who peddle drugs in our community. Also, importantly, there is a remote drug desk that is doing great work, working with our police officers in the bush to try and tackle the appalling problems we have with drug dealers there. This is a government that is committed to attacking crime by giving our police force the tools to do the job.
However, if we look at other alternatives that are on the table, we have heard the Leader of the Opposition say, in comments to the media recently, that the police are getting woeful results. Well, a 43% reduction in property crime in Alice Springs, and about 50% across the Northern Territory, is not a woeful result; it is an extraordinary result by very dedicated men and women who are doing a fantastic job. All the Leader of the Opposition can do is be negative. Let us look at his record regarding Central Australia. When he was Chief Minister he ignored Central Australia and, as Opposition Leader, he still does. Of the 207 questions he has asked over the last three-and-a-half years, just one question prior to today has been about Central Australia or the Alice Springs region. That is how much the Leader of the Opposition thinks of Central Australia and Alice Springs. He ignored them before and he will ignore them again. When he is in Darwin, the least thing from the Leader of the Opposition’s mind is Central Australia.
In Central Australia, our police are achieving magnificent results. We will see more police come to Central Australia. We will do everything we can to fund our police to give them the tools that they need to do the job to make our community even safer. We have certainly made good progress to date. We know there is a lot more to do, and we can do that in conjunction and partnership with Central Australians and the great police force we have in the Northern Territory.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Karama for her question, because she is vitally interested in the capacity of police to deliver services to Territorians. It is interesting to note that the Leader of the Opposition’s first question today was only the second question in three-and-a-half years that he has actually asked on issues relating to Central Australia and Alice Springs. However, I move on.
This is a government that is committed to building safer communities, and to building the strength of our police force. Only 18 months ago, we announced a $75m plan to rebuild our police force after years of neglect, and see an extra 200 police out on the streets across the Northern Territory by the end of 2006.
We are also committing to police resources in other areas as well. Late last year, a new police plane, based in Alice Springs, has given the police capacity to respond to communities in Central Australia at a much quicker rate than they have in the past. We completed a new police station in Kintore, which has provided significant enhancement to law and order, not only in that community but in surrounding communities. We have upgraded infrastructure in all police stations. We are upgrading police houses in Alice Springs to try and keep police in our police force for longer, and give them decent conditions of service. We have also seen the trial of horse patrols here, and the feedback I have had as Police minister has been very promising.
More importantly, it is about extra police on the beat. We have seen at least 11 new officers ready for more patrols and proactive policing in Alice Springs. The commitment of extra resources, the great work the police are doing in targeting crime, since we came to government, has seen a reduction of property crime in Alice Springs of 43%. This is a government that actually leads by action, puts the resources where they are needed, resulting in a reduction of property crime in Alice Springs of 43%.
Not only that, we have attacked people who peddle drugs in our community as has never been done before. We have introduced drug house legislation that has seen those notorious drug dens closed down. We have introduced forfeiture of assets legislation that has seen the police seize $1.5m worth of ill-gotten assets from criminals across the Northern Territory. We have seen drug dogs introduced into our police force to, again, put the pressure on those drug dealers who peddle drugs in our community. Also, importantly, there is a remote drug desk that is doing great work, working with our police officers in the bush to try and tackle the appalling problems we have with drug dealers there. This is a government that is committed to attacking crime by giving our police force the tools to do the job.
However, if we look at other alternatives that are on the table, we have heard the Leader of the Opposition say, in comments to the media recently, that the police are getting woeful results. Well, a 43% reduction in property crime in Alice Springs, and about 50% across the Northern Territory, is not a woeful result; it is an extraordinary result by very dedicated men and women who are doing a fantastic job. All the Leader of the Opposition can do is be negative. Let us look at his record regarding Central Australia. When he was Chief Minister he ignored Central Australia and, as Opposition Leader, he still does. Of the 207 questions he has asked over the last three-and-a-half years, just one question prior to today has been about Central Australia or the Alice Springs region. That is how much the Leader of the Opposition thinks of Central Australia and Alice Springs. He ignored them before and he will ignore them again. When he is in Darwin, the least thing from the Leader of the Opposition’s mind is Central Australia.
In Central Australia, our police are achieving magnificent results. We will see more police come to Central Australia. We will do everything we can to fund our police to give them the tools that they need to do the job to make our community even safer. We have certainly made good progress to date. We know there is a lot more to do, and we can do that in conjunction and partnership with Central Australians and the great police force we have in the Northern Territory.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016