❓ Question regarding a letter from Corrective Services to Police about restricting electronic monitoring outside Perth. Minister avoids directly addressing the letter, asserts effectiveness of current monitoring and accuses opposition of scaremongering.
AnsweredQoN 78Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Electronic monitoring
78. Mr Adam Hort to
the Minister for Police:
I refer to the
decision by the Commissioner of Corrective Services, communicated to the
Commissioner of Police on 11 April 2025, regarding electronic monitoring.
Is the minister
aware of a letter from the Commissioner of Corrective Services to the
Commissioner of Police clearly stating that the Department of Justice can no
longer support or recommend the use of electronic monitoring in any location
other than the Perth metropolitan area?
78. Mr Adam Hort to
the Minister for Police:
I refer to the
decision by the Commissioner of Corrective Services, communicated to the
Commissioner of Police on 11 April 2025, regarding electronic monitoring.
Is the minister
aware of a letter from the Commissioner of Corrective Services to the
Commissioner of Police clearly stating that the Department of Justice can no
longer support or recommend the use of electronic monitoring in any location
other than the Perth metropolitan area?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member
for Kalamunda for the question. It gives me the opportunity to respond to the
member by saying that Western Australians are safer because of these laws and
because of this technology. That is the starting point we must acknowledge:
Western Australians are safer.
All people with
electronic monitoring, including in our regions, are monitored 24/7 by Department
of Justice officials working side by side with WA police at the State
Operations Command Centre across the state. I can assure
members that across Western Australia, all breaches are responded to by police
24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Point of order
Mr Liam Staltari: The minister was asked specifically
about a letter, which he has failed to cite at all in his answer so far.
The Speaker : Thank you,
member. I will not uphold that point of order.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker : Members!
Mr Basil Zempilas interjected.
The Speaker : Leader of
the Opposition!
Mr Roger Cook interjected.
The Speaker : Premier!
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker : Have you
finished—both of you? Thank you. There is no point of order. I will not
uphold that point of order. The minister is only just getting into his response
and he can answer in his own way. Carry on, minister.
Questions without
notice resumed
Mr Reece Whitby: Thank you, Mr Speaker, but I want to
follow your new directive of being short and concise as well.
These laws are the
strongest in the nation. They have been in place for only a few months. I would
encourage the opposition to actually get behind them and support them, because
they are making Western Australians safer. What we do not want is that mob over
there undermining and scaring the members of the community about what is an
effective way of monitoring these people.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker : Members!
Members of the opposition!
Mr Reece Whitby: What I would like to see is less
politics, less scaremongering, less undermining and some support for good
policy.
Ms Libby Mettam interjected.
Mr Reece Whitby: Hello; Vasse has woken up! Good to
hear from you.
for Kalamunda for the question. It gives me the opportunity to respond to the
member by saying that Western Australians are safer because of these laws and
because of this technology. That is the starting point we must acknowledge:
Western Australians are safer.
All people with
electronic monitoring, including in our regions, are monitored 24/7 by Department
of Justice officials working side by side with WA police at the State
Operations Command Centre across the state. I can assure
members that across Western Australia, all breaches are responded to by police
24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Point of order
Mr Liam Staltari: The minister was asked specifically
about a letter, which he has failed to cite at all in his answer so far.
The Speaker : Thank you,
member. I will not uphold that point of order.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker : Members!
Mr Basil Zempilas interjected.
The Speaker : Leader of
the Opposition!
Mr Roger Cook interjected.
The Speaker : Premier!
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker : Have you
finished—both of you? Thank you. There is no point of order. I will not
uphold that point of order. The minister is only just getting into his response
and he can answer in his own way. Carry on, minister.
Questions without
notice resumed
Mr Reece Whitby: Thank you, Mr Speaker, but I want to
follow your new directive of being short and concise as well.
These laws are the
strongest in the nation. They have been in place for only a few months. I would
encourage the opposition to actually get behind them and support them, because
they are making Western Australians safer. What we do not want is that mob over
there undermining and scaring the members of the community about what is an
effective way of monitoring these people.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker : Members!
Members of the opposition!
Mr Reece Whitby: What I would like to see is less
politics, less scaremongering, less undermining and some support for good
policy.
Ms Libby Mettam interjected.
Mr Reece Whitby: Hello; Vasse has woken up! Good to
hear from you.
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