Ms CARNEY - 2008-04-30
On page 6 of the last available Police Annual Report, the Commissioner said:
You proudly asserted yesterday and today that the figures are:
Domestic violence is a crime of violence. More reports of domestic violence means that more men are beating more women and more children. How can you say that your government has done well in the area of domestic violence?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I acknowledge the member for Araluen’s question. The member has a very nasty habit of putting words in people’s mouths that have not been uttered, and her question is laden with those. Very clearly, whilst the member for Araluen plays with words, our police are out there combating, on a day-to-day basis, domestic violence.
The one point on which I will agree with the member for Araluen is that domestic violence represents a very insidious crime. Anybody who has researched the issue of domestic violence knows that a lot of it is hidden from view; a lot of it is not reported. There are many complex reasons for women to fail to report domestic violence. The member for Araluen absolutely knows that …
Ms Carney: You said: ‘These numbers are going up because women have more confidence to report’. How is that playing with words?
Mr HENDERSON: The issue is to treat this as a crime. You cannot treat it as a crime unless complaints are made or the police observe this act occurring. Part of the strategy that our police have committed to since 2004 is to have a dedicated focus on this issue, to apply the resources to this issue, to actually work with women who, tragically, are repeat victims of domestic violence, and also to focus on the repeat perpetrators of domestic violence.
I gave you all the figures yesterday. I am not sure if this is one that I gave but, in the period 1 October 2007 to 31 March 2008, 974 offences were recorded for failing to comply with a domestic violence restraining order, which is a 20% increase in comparison with the 813 offences recorded during the same six-month period.
That is police effort in not only issuing restraining orders, but also actually arresting and charging people for breaching those orders. The police are focused on this. For the member for Araluen to play with words around this issue, does not take away from the fact that there are dedicated resources that did not exist previously, right across the Northern Territory, targeting this insidious crime. More reports are coming in; more people are being charged. However, that does not leap to a conclusion that there is more domestic violence occurring in the Northern Territory. That is an absolutely unbelievable assertion that would not be backed up by any researcher at all who knows this particular issue.
I stand here proudly, Madam Speaker, as the Chief Minister and the Police minister that has seen an extra 200 police allocated to our police force since we came to government, another 100 on top of that number that has been allocated to Closing the Gap. Through this budget, that has allowed the police to shine a light on this insidious crime. For the member for Araluen to assert that it is not happening, that it is not a priority, that it is not a focus and it is all out of control, is absolute bunkum ...
Ms CARNEY: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The Chief Minister used the expression in relation to me earlier, ‘weasel words’. I tolerated it but, in light of the weasel words he is using to suggest that we suggested domestic violence is not happening, is wrong and deeply offensive.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Araluen, there is no point of order. Resume your seat. Chief Minister, continue.
Mr HENDERSON: I will conclude, because I also have the same page from the Police Commissioner. I do not know what the point the member for Araluen is trying to prosecute, but from the Police Annual Report 2007, it stated:
- Analysis of the data shows that NT Police are taking more reports of domestic violence and this in turn led to more recording of assaults.
You proudly asserted yesterday and today that the figures are:
- … going up because women have more confidence to report.
Domestic violence is a crime of violence. More reports of domestic violence means that more men are beating more women and more children. How can you say that your government has done well in the area of domestic violence?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I acknowledge the member for Araluen’s question. The member has a very nasty habit of putting words in people’s mouths that have not been uttered, and her question is laden with those. Very clearly, whilst the member for Araluen plays with words, our police are out there combating, on a day-to-day basis, domestic violence.
The one point on which I will agree with the member for Araluen is that domestic violence represents a very insidious crime. Anybody who has researched the issue of domestic violence knows that a lot of it is hidden from view; a lot of it is not reported. There are many complex reasons for women to fail to report domestic violence. The member for Araluen absolutely knows that …
Ms Carney: You said: ‘These numbers are going up because women have more confidence to report’. How is that playing with words?
Mr HENDERSON: The issue is to treat this as a crime. You cannot treat it as a crime unless complaints are made or the police observe this act occurring. Part of the strategy that our police have committed to since 2004 is to have a dedicated focus on this issue, to apply the resources to this issue, to actually work with women who, tragically, are repeat victims of domestic violence, and also to focus on the repeat perpetrators of domestic violence.
I gave you all the figures yesterday. I am not sure if this is one that I gave but, in the period 1 October 2007 to 31 March 2008, 974 offences were recorded for failing to comply with a domestic violence restraining order, which is a 20% increase in comparison with the 813 offences recorded during the same six-month period.
That is police effort in not only issuing restraining orders, but also actually arresting and charging people for breaching those orders. The police are focused on this. For the member for Araluen to play with words around this issue, does not take away from the fact that there are dedicated resources that did not exist previously, right across the Northern Territory, targeting this insidious crime. More reports are coming in; more people are being charged. However, that does not leap to a conclusion that there is more domestic violence occurring in the Northern Territory. That is an absolutely unbelievable assertion that would not be backed up by any researcher at all who knows this particular issue.
I stand here proudly, Madam Speaker, as the Chief Minister and the Police minister that has seen an extra 200 police allocated to our police force since we came to government, another 100 on top of that number that has been allocated to Closing the Gap. Through this budget, that has allowed the police to shine a light on this insidious crime. For the member for Araluen to assert that it is not happening, that it is not a priority, that it is not a focus and it is all out of control, is absolute bunkum ...
Ms CARNEY: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The Chief Minister used the expression in relation to me earlier, ‘weasel words’. I tolerated it but, in light of the weasel words he is using to suggest that we suggested domestic violence is not happening, is wrong and deeply offensive.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Araluen, there is no point of order. Resume your seat. Chief Minister, continue.
Mr HENDERSON: I will conclude, because I also have the same page from the Police Commissioner. I do not know what the point the member for Araluen is trying to prosecute, but from the Police Annual Report 2007, it stated:
- … but reflected a commitment by NT Police to a Violent Crime Reduction Strategy, which was reported on in the previous annual report. Analysis of the data shows that NT Police are taking more reports of domestic violence and this in turn has led to more recording of assaults.
NT Police views this trend as a positive outcome and will continue to apply the strategy in an endeavour to break the cycle of violence, especially domestic violence.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016