❓ Mr. Katsambanis questions the Minister for Police regarding a decrease in hoon car impoundments despite perceived ongoing hooning issues. The Minister deflects, criticizes the question's quality and the questioner's prior inactivity, and defends police efforts.
AnsweredQoN 469Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
ROAD SAFETY — HOONS
469. Mr P.A. KATSAMBANIS to the Minister for Police:
I refer to answers the minister provided to questions on
notice last week that highlight that in 2017, 11 574 hoon cars were impounded
by Western Australia Police Force, but by 2019 that number had dropped to just
9 648—almost 2 000 fewer cars impounded. With out-of-control hooning in
our suburbs and regions, why is the minister not taking the hooning issue more
seriously?
469. Mr P.A. KATSAMBANIS to the Minister for Police:
I refer to answers the minister provided to questions on
notice last week that highlight that in 2017, 11 574 hoon cars were impounded
by Western Australia Police Force, but by 2019 that number had dropped to just
9 648—almost 2 000 fewer cars impounded. With out-of-control hooning in
our suburbs and regions, why is the minister not taking the hooning issue more
seriously?
AnswerView source ↗
I have been waiting for a question from the member for Hillarys,
the opposition spokesman on police, for guess how long? Not a couple of weeks,
not six weeks—when is the last time he asked me a question? Is it 12
weeks ago? No. It was more than that—it was 19 weeks ago! The last time
I received a question was 12 February this year, and this is the quality of it!
I do not know whether that says something about the respect the member has for
the job I am doing or whether it says something about the Leader of the
Opposition's attitude to the member for Hillarys. Today's
question was a pretty silly question. One of the reasons that hoon offences
were introduced by me quite some time ago was that we wanted to deter people
from hooning. We actually wanted to reduce the number of people doing it, and
impound the vehicles. The fact that fewer people are caught hooning does not
mean that there is a reduction in police activity. Police have been very
vigilant. They have never been more active in the area of putting out covert
cameras to catch those hoons. I see that those figures have dropped off quite
dramatically for people caught for a second or third hooning offence. People
are getting the message when their vehicle is taken from them. Rather than
criticise police and suggest that they are not doing their job, perhaps the
member could show a little more support for police. But it is good to see today
that the member has renewed his interest and has, at last, asked me a question.
the opposition spokesman on police, for guess how long? Not a couple of weeks,
not six weeks—when is the last time he asked me a question? Is it 12
weeks ago? No. It was more than that—it was 19 weeks ago! The last time
I received a question was 12 February this year, and this is the quality of it!
I do not know whether that says something about the respect the member has for
the job I am doing or whether it says something about the Leader of the
Opposition's attitude to the member for Hillarys. Today's
question was a pretty silly question. One of the reasons that hoon offences
were introduced by me quite some time ago was that we wanted to deter people
from hooning. We actually wanted to reduce the number of people doing it, and
impound the vehicles. The fact that fewer people are caught hooning does not
mean that there is a reduction in police activity. Police have been very
vigilant. They have never been more active in the area of putting out covert
cameras to catch those hoons. I see that those figures have dropped off quite
dramatically for people caught for a second or third hooning offence. People
are getting the message when their vehicle is taken from them. Rather than
criticise police and suggest that they are not doing their job, perhaps the
member could show a little more support for police. But it is good to see today
that the member has renewed his interest and has, at last, asked me a question.
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