Mr HAMPTON - 2007-04-18
Can you update the House on the Martin government’s implementation of an accelerated police recruitment program?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I welcome the question. Obviously, police numbers and police responses are important issues for the Alice Springs community. Throughout this parliament, and preceding it, members of this community have made their feelings very plain to this government about feeling safe at home and in the streets. This is a basic right that people have. All Territorians should enjoy that.
Underlying police numbers in Alice Springs are the strategies which the government has in recruitment of police. Ever since the O’Sullivan Report was commissioned by this government some four years ago, government has been active in recruiting police into our police force. Just a couple of weeks ago, it was my privilege, along with other government members and members of the opposition and Independents, to be present at the graduation of Squad 88 where 26 new police officers graduated. It was a proud day for them and their familles. Eight of those officers are coming to Alice Springs. Squad 90 has graduated recently. They are 20 experienced officers who have been recruited from interstate, and seven of those are coming to Alice Springs.
As I said before, the O’Sullivan Report is crucial to all of this, because government embarked on the O’Sullivan Report as police resources needed a great injection of funds and personnel.
In specific relation to Alice Springs, I will quote from the O’Sullivan Report. Jim O’Sullivan, for those in the audience, was an ex-Commissioner of Police in Queensland, a very experienced police officer, who was asked to do a consultancy. He travelled the length and breadth of the Territory and gave government a very detailed report about the needs for staffing police throughout the Territory. This is what he said regarding Alice Springs at that time:
The establishment of uniformed police officers in Alice Springs is about 130, so what O’Sullivan was saying is that only 50% of those numbers were available.
Over the past four years, we have recruited into Alice Springs. We have been building the numbers and the 15 I mentioned before bring us up to establishment, as the Chief Minister outlined. She also said the Police Commissioner issued a media release today talking specifically about Alice Springs. He said in this press release:
Our police force in Alice Springs is up to establishment and, furthermore, the police are also looking at flexible ways to deploy more uniformed police here.
These are important developments, along with the closed circuit television. There were discussions today between the Chief Minister, the Alice Springs Town Council and I on how they might work at an operational level, and police will be engaged with that.
In closing, I thank members of the Alice Springs community for bringing their concerns forward. I have met with various groups, including representatives of Advance Alice and the council. I have given Advance Alice the undertaking that I will meet with them within two months to review the situation and talk over issues. I have also encouraged Advance Alice to engage with police and meet with them on a regular basis to put forward their concerns. I will also be asking the Police Commissioner if he might attend a meeting of the Alice Springs Town Council to hear their concerns.
Madam Speaker, we are a government that is listening to Alice Springs. We are certainly resourcing police in Alice Springs. We are concerned about issues in relation to law and order regarding itinerancy and antisocial behaviour and youth aspects, but we all know that these problems will not be solved by police alone. We need to engage with community. We need to solve alcohol and other issues that confront this community and, as government, we are looking to work constructively with this community.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I welcome the question. Obviously, police numbers and police responses are important issues for the Alice Springs community. Throughout this parliament, and preceding it, members of this community have made their feelings very plain to this government about feeling safe at home and in the streets. This is a basic right that people have. All Territorians should enjoy that.
Underlying police numbers in Alice Springs are the strategies which the government has in recruitment of police. Ever since the O’Sullivan Report was commissioned by this government some four years ago, government has been active in recruiting police into our police force. Just a couple of weeks ago, it was my privilege, along with other government members and members of the opposition and Independents, to be present at the graduation of Squad 88 where 26 new police officers graduated. It was a proud day for them and their familles. Eight of those officers are coming to Alice Springs. Squad 90 has graduated recently. They are 20 experienced officers who have been recruited from interstate, and seven of those are coming to Alice Springs.
As I said before, the O’Sullivan Report is crucial to all of this, because government embarked on the O’Sullivan Report as police resources needed a great injection of funds and personnel.
In specific relation to Alice Springs, I will quote from the O’Sullivan Report. Jim O’Sullivan, for those in the audience, was an ex-Commissioner of Police in Queensland, a very experienced police officer, who was asked to do a consultancy. He travelled the length and breadth of the Territory and gave government a very detailed report about the needs for staffing police throughout the Territory. This is what he said regarding Alice Springs at that time:
- Visits and discussions at Alice Springs confirmed that general duties resources were only 50% available.
The establishment of uniformed police officers in Alice Springs is about 130, so what O’Sullivan was saying is that only 50% of those numbers were available.
Over the past four years, we have recruited into Alice Springs. We have been building the numbers and the 15 I mentioned before bring us up to establishment, as the Chief Minister outlined. She also said the Police Commissioner issued a media release today talking specifically about Alice Springs. He said in this press release:
We will always seeks to maintain the actual number of police at that establishment level. As part of this commitment, six months ago we established a Selections Unit within the Police Force to speed up and facilitate filling of vacancies as quickly as possible.
Our police force in Alice Springs is up to establishment and, furthermore, the police are also looking at flexible ways to deploy more uniformed police here.
These are important developments, along with the closed circuit television. There were discussions today between the Chief Minister, the Alice Springs Town Council and I on how they might work at an operational level, and police will be engaged with that.
In closing, I thank members of the Alice Springs community for bringing their concerns forward. I have met with various groups, including representatives of Advance Alice and the council. I have given Advance Alice the undertaking that I will meet with them within two months to review the situation and talk over issues. I have also encouraged Advance Alice to engage with police and meet with them on a regular basis to put forward their concerns. I will also be asking the Police Commissioner if he might attend a meeting of the Alice Springs Town Council to hear their concerns.
Madam Speaker, we are a government that is listening to Alice Springs. We are certainly resourcing police in Alice Springs. We are concerned about issues in relation to law and order regarding itinerancy and antisocial behaviour and youth aspects, but we all know that these problems will not be solved by police alone. We need to engage with community. We need to solve alcohol and other issues that confront this community and, as government, we are looking to work constructively with this community.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016