Ms SCRYMGOUR - 2002-02-26
The Productivity Commission recently released results of its review into government services around Australia. Will the minister outline what the Productivity Commissioner found in relation to the esteem in which Territorians hold the Territory’s police force?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, we get used to seeing, from time to time, in our local print media criticism, generally unwarranted, of our police force. Certainly, as members of parliament, we have people raise issues of concern and sometimes criticism of the police force in our day to day jobs.
We have the motion that has been put forward by the Leader of the Opposition for tomorrow telling us that there is an appalling low morale, or a morale problem, or difficulty with the police force at the moment. But when Territorians are actually asked to put forward an opinion on how they rate police services, a very, very different picture emerges. The Report on Government Services 2002 by the Productivity Commission, which the member for Arafura referred to, was released last month. Territorians surveyed have an outstanding satisfaction with Northern Territory police services to the extent that 72.6% of Territorians asked this question were either satisfied or very satisfied with the service provided by police. Compare this 72.6% with a national average of 67.2%.
In addition to that, the same report went on to make the finding that Northern Territory police are considered to be courteous, approachable and professional when dealing with Territorians. I share these views. I believe that the Northern Territory police do a great job under very trying and often very difficult circumstances, not helped by these clowns opposite when they get in here telling us that morale in our police force is shot; not helped when they come out with bits of paper that they claim to - God knows where they got them, they do not say where they got them, of course - but come out six weeks later and say, ‘I found this document’ or ‘this document came to me’.
Mr BURKE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The Deputy Chief Minister is making an allegation that documents were doctored by the opposition in terms of the police. I am asking you that he withdraw that allegation.
Madam SPEAKER: I think you should rephrase that comment.
Mr STIRLING: Look, if he is offended in any way - and I certainly did not use the word ‘doctored’.
Madam SPEAKER: Withdraw it.
Mr STIRLING: I did not use it, but I withdraw whatever it was that was offending the Leader of the Opposition.
What I did say was: he came out recently trying to further undermine the police force with some sort of leak that he was referring to in relation to a matter in Alice Springs. That is the level of support that our police force, which does a great job, gets from members opposite.
The report also stated last financial year that the Northern Territory government spent $483 per head of population on police services, more than any state or territory. This financial year, following a further injection in the November mini-budget, the police have an increase of $4.9m from last year’s expenditure. I will table these papers that might inform the Leader of the Opposition ahead of tomorrow’s debate, because it is the budget papers that clearly show that Police, Fire and Emergency Services last year spent $126 600 000, and in the November mini-budget figure for this financial year, we are looking at $131 491 000 - $4.9m more this financial year than last. This is the level of support that we give our Police, Fire and Emergency Services because we respect them for the job they do, we respect that they need the resources to do the job they do, and we will continue to support them despite your carping criticism and undermining of those who are out there doing a very difficult job.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, we get used to seeing, from time to time, in our local print media criticism, generally unwarranted, of our police force. Certainly, as members of parliament, we have people raise issues of concern and sometimes criticism of the police force in our day to day jobs.
We have the motion that has been put forward by the Leader of the Opposition for tomorrow telling us that there is an appalling low morale, or a morale problem, or difficulty with the police force at the moment. But when Territorians are actually asked to put forward an opinion on how they rate police services, a very, very different picture emerges. The Report on Government Services 2002 by the Productivity Commission, which the member for Arafura referred to, was released last month. Territorians surveyed have an outstanding satisfaction with Northern Territory police services to the extent that 72.6% of Territorians asked this question were either satisfied or very satisfied with the service provided by police. Compare this 72.6% with a national average of 67.2%.
In addition to that, the same report went on to make the finding that Northern Territory police are considered to be courteous, approachable and professional when dealing with Territorians. I share these views. I believe that the Northern Territory police do a great job under very trying and often very difficult circumstances, not helped by these clowns opposite when they get in here telling us that morale in our police force is shot; not helped when they come out with bits of paper that they claim to - God knows where they got them, they do not say where they got them, of course - but come out six weeks later and say, ‘I found this document’ or ‘this document came to me’.
Mr BURKE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The Deputy Chief Minister is making an allegation that documents were doctored by the opposition in terms of the police. I am asking you that he withdraw that allegation.
Madam SPEAKER: I think you should rephrase that comment.
Mr STIRLING: Look, if he is offended in any way - and I certainly did not use the word ‘doctored’.
Madam SPEAKER: Withdraw it.
Mr STIRLING: I did not use it, but I withdraw whatever it was that was offending the Leader of the Opposition.
What I did say was: he came out recently trying to further undermine the police force with some sort of leak that he was referring to in relation to a matter in Alice Springs. That is the level of support that our police force, which does a great job, gets from members opposite.
The report also stated last financial year that the Northern Territory government spent $483 per head of population on police services, more than any state or territory. This financial year, following a further injection in the November mini-budget, the police have an increase of $4.9m from last year’s expenditure. I will table these papers that might inform the Leader of the Opposition ahead of tomorrow’s debate, because it is the budget papers that clearly show that Police, Fire and Emergency Services last year spent $126 600 000, and in the November mini-budget figure for this financial year, we are looking at $131 491 000 - $4.9m more this financial year than last. This is the level of support that we give our Police, Fire and Emergency Services because we respect them for the job they do, we respect that they need the resources to do the job they do, and we will continue to support them despite your carping criticism and undermining of those who are out there doing a very difficult job.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016