Ms WALKER - 2010-02-18
Can you update the House on the contents of the ABS Crime Victimisation statistics released earlier today?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nhulunbuy. The Australian Bureau of Statistics Crime Victimisation statistics released today report on the perceptions of crime and were compiled by phone surveys. The ABS statistics demonstrate levels of crime victimisation perceptions are higher in the Territory than the national average. Perceptions are very important, but this explains some of the differences between the figures in this ABS report and our own crime statistics, which are based on actual reports, not perceptions.
It is not possible in three minutes to outline all the statistics within the report; however, it does demonstrate what we already know - crime rates in the Territory are too high. Our own crime statistics tell us 59% of all assaults in the Territory are alcohol-related, and 51% are domestic violence. The ABS report outlines that, Australia-wide, young people are much more likely to be a victim of assault. Victimisation nationally in terms of rates for physical assault was 8.7% for people aged 15 to 19 years, and 0.4% for people aged 65 or over. Since we have such a young population in the Territory you can see why our figures, naturally, are higher than the average. The report also shows that half, 49%, of assaults on females occur in the victim’s home. The report also shows that, for 62% of assaults, the offender was known to the victim. It was not a random assault.
These figures support what our own crime statistics show us, that is, the biggest contributors to crime in the Territory are alcohol and domestic violence - 59% of assaults in the Territory are alcohol-related. If you are not tackling alcohol abuse, you are not tackling crime. The contents of this report shows and confirms we are on the right track in tackling alcohol as a fundamental underlying cause of crime; tackling domestic violence and, importantly, providing more police out there to tackle crime.
Mr TOLLNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Could you ask the minister to table the document she was reading from?
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, is the document a public document you are willing to table, or is it a private …
Ms LAWRIE: As the member for Fong Lim well knows, I was referring to my notes, which includes the crime statistics.
Madam SPEAKER: There is no requirement to table it.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nhulunbuy. The Australian Bureau of Statistics Crime Victimisation statistics released today report on the perceptions of crime and were compiled by phone surveys. The ABS statistics demonstrate levels of crime victimisation perceptions are higher in the Territory than the national average. Perceptions are very important, but this explains some of the differences between the figures in this ABS report and our own crime statistics, which are based on actual reports, not perceptions.
It is not possible in three minutes to outline all the statistics within the report; however, it does demonstrate what we already know - crime rates in the Territory are too high. Our own crime statistics tell us 59% of all assaults in the Territory are alcohol-related, and 51% are domestic violence. The ABS report outlines that, Australia-wide, young people are much more likely to be a victim of assault. Victimisation nationally in terms of rates for physical assault was 8.7% for people aged 15 to 19 years, and 0.4% for people aged 65 or over. Since we have such a young population in the Territory you can see why our figures, naturally, are higher than the average. The report also shows that half, 49%, of assaults on females occur in the victim’s home. The report also shows that, for 62% of assaults, the offender was known to the victim. It was not a random assault.
These figures support what our own crime statistics show us, that is, the biggest contributors to crime in the Territory are alcohol and domestic violence - 59% of assaults in the Territory are alcohol-related. If you are not tackling alcohol abuse, you are not tackling crime. The contents of this report shows and confirms we are on the right track in tackling alcohol as a fundamental underlying cause of crime; tackling domestic violence and, importantly, providing more police out there to tackle crime.
Mr TOLLNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Could you ask the minister to table the document she was reading from?
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, is the document a public document you are willing to table, or is it a private …
Ms LAWRIE: As the member for Fong Lim well knows, I was referring to my notes, which includes the crime statistics.
Madam SPEAKER: There is no requirement to table it.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016