❓ Opposition questions the Premier about rising assault rates and the effectiveness of current measures, referencing concerns raised by the Chief Justice. The Premier acknowledges the concern and highlights government initiatives.
AnsweredQoN 209Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
ASSAULTS — CHIEF JUSTICE’S REMARKS 209. Mr T. BUSWELL to the Premier: I refer to remarks made by Chief Justice Wayne Martin in his address at the opening of Western Australia Law Week. (1) Is the Premier as concerned as I am that as senior a figure as the Chief Justice has chosen to warn of a significant increase in the number of assaults in our state and a growing culture of violence? (2) Does the Premier agree with the Chief Justice that at the moment we do not appear to be having any success in reducing the level of offending in relation to assault? (3) Will the Premier now recognise that minor tinkering and news-friendly initiatives are not enough and that now we need strong action, both in terms of sentencing and enforcement, to combat this growing problem? Mr A.J. CARPENTER
AnswerView source ↗
(1)-(3) I do not think that there would be a person in Western Australia who would not be concerned about violence and violent crime and that comes at no matter what level that violent crime is at either on a per capita basis or on the nature of the violent crime. To that extent, of course we share a great concern and that is why, for example, we introduced the one-punch legislation into this Parliament. We have provided for up to 600 extra police officers in our terms of government. If we do a state comparison, we now have by far something like a 28 per cent differential between the first and the next in the amount of resourcing for justice-related law and order. We were looking at the figures yesterday. I think there is a 28 per cent gap between what we spend on law and order in this state compared with what the state which spends the next most spends per head of population. Of course this is a major issue. We have pressure on our prison system because so many people are incarcerated. We have a higher clean-up rate. These are issues that the government not only takes seriously, but also is pursuing seriously.
ASSAULTS — CHIEF JUSTICE’S REMARKS
I refer to remarks made by Chief Justice Wayne Martin in his address at the opening of Western Australia Law Week. (1) Is the Premier as concerned as I am that as senior a figure as the Chief Justice has chosen to warn of a significant increase in the number of assaults in our state and a growing culture of violence? (2) Does the Premier agree with the Chief Justice that at the moment we do not appear to be having any success in reducing the level of offending in relation to assault? (3) Will the Premier now recognise that minor tinkering and news-friendly initiatives are not enough and that now we need strong action, both in terms of sentencing and enforcement, to combat this growing problem? Mr A.J. CARPENTER replied: (1)-(3) I do not think that there would be a person in Western Australia who would not be concerned about violence and violent crime and that comes at no matter what level that violent crime is at either on a per capita basis or on the nature of the violent crime. To that extent, of course we share a great concern and that is why, for example, we introduced the one-punch legislation into this Parliament. We have provided for up to 600 extra police officers in our terms of government. If we do a state comparison, we now have by far something like a 28 per cent differential between the first and the next in the amount of resourcing for justice-related law and order. We were looking at the figures yesterday. I think there is a 28 per cent gap between what we spend on law and order in this state compared with what the state which spends the next most spends per head of population. Of course this is a major issue. We have pressure on our prison system because so many people are incarcerated. We have a higher clean-up rate. These are issues that the government not only takes seriously, but also is pursuing seriously.
(1) Is the Premier as concerned as I am that as senior a figure as the Chief Justice has chosen to warn of a significant increase in the number of assaults in our state and a growing culture of violence? (2) Does the Premier agree with the Chief Justice that at the moment we do not appear to be having any success in reducing the level of offending in relation to assault? (3) Will the Premier now recognise that minor tinkering and news-friendly initiatives are not enough and that now we need strong action, both in terms of sentencing and enforcement, to combat this growing problem? Mr A.J. CARPENTER replied: (1)-(3) I do not think that there would be a person in Western Australia who would not be concerned about violence and violent crime and that comes at no matter what level that violent crime is at either on a per capita basis or on the nature of the violent crime. To that extent, of course we share a great concern and that is why, for example, we introduced the one-punch legislation into this Parliament. We have provided for up to 600 extra police officers in our terms of government. If we do a state comparison, we now have by far something like a 28 per cent differential between the first and the next in the amount of resourcing for justice-related law and order. We were looking at the figures yesterday. I think there is a 28 per cent gap between what we spend on law and order in this state compared with what the state which spends the next most spends per head of population. Of course this is a major issue. We have pressure on our prison system because so many people are incarcerated. We have a higher clean-up rate. These are issues that the government not only takes seriously, but also is pursuing seriously.
(2) Does the Premier agree with the Chief Justice that at the moment we do not appear to be having any success in reducing the level of offending in relation to assault? (3) Will the Premier now recognise that minor tinkering and news-friendly initiatives are not enough and that now we need strong action, both in terms of sentencing and enforcement, to combat this growing problem? Mr A.J. CARPENTER replied: (1)-(3) I do not think that there would be a person in Western Australia who would not be concerned about violence and violent crime and that comes at no matter what level that violent crime is at either on a per capita basis or on the nature of the violent crime. To that extent, of course we share a great concern and that is why, for example, we introduced the one-punch legislation into this Parliament. We have provided for up to 600 extra police officers in our terms of government. If we do a state comparison, we now have by far something like a 28 per cent differential between the first and the next in the amount of resourcing for justice-related law and order. We were looking at the figures yesterday. I think there is a 28 per cent gap between what we spend on law and order in this state compared with what the state which spends the next most spends per head of population. Of course this is a major issue. We have pressure on our prison system because so many people are incarcerated. We have a higher clean-up rate. These are issues that the government not only takes seriously, but also is pursuing seriously.
(3) Will the Premier now recognise that minor tinkering and news-friendly initiatives are not enough and that now we need strong action, both in terms of sentencing and enforcement, to combat this growing problem? Mr A.J. CARPENTER replied: (1)-(3) I do not think that there would be a person in Western Australia who would not be concerned about violence and violent crime and that comes at no matter what level that violent crime is at either on a per capita basis or on the nature of the violent crime. To that extent, of course we share a great concern and that is why, for example, we introduced the one-punch legislation into this Parliament. We have provided for up to 600 extra police officers in our terms of government. If we do a state comparison, we now have by far something like a 28 per cent differential between the first and the next in the amount of resourcing for justice-related law and order. We were looking at the figures yesterday. I think there is a 28 per cent gap between what we spend on law and order in this state compared with what the state which spends the next most spends per head of population. Of course this is a major issue. We have pressure on our prison system because so many people are incarcerated. We have a higher clean-up rate. These are issues that the government not only takes seriously, but also is pursuing seriously.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER replied: (1)-(3) I do not think that there would be a person in Western Australia who would not be concerned about violence and violent crime and that comes at no matter what level that violent crime is at either on a per capita basis or on the nature of the violent crime. To that extent, of course we share a great concern and that is why, for example, we introduced the one-punch legislation into this Parliament. We have provided for up to 600 extra police officers in our terms of government. If we do a state comparison, we now have by far something like a 28 per cent differential between the first and the next in the amount of resourcing for justice-related law and order. We were looking at the figures yesterday. I think there is a 28 per cent gap between what we spend on law and order in this state compared with what the state which spends the next most spends per head of population. Of course this is a major issue. We have pressure on our prison system because so many people are incarcerated. We have a higher clean-up rate. These are issues that the government not only takes seriously, but also is pursuing seriously.
(1)-(3) I do not think that there would be a person in Western Australia who would not be concerned about violence and violent crime and that comes at no matter what level that violent crime is at either on a per capita basis or on the nature of the violent crime. To that extent, of course we share a great concern and that is why, for example, we introduced the one-punch legislation into this Parliament. We have provided for up to 600 extra police officers in our terms of government. If we do a state comparison, we now have by far something like a 28 per cent differential between the first and the next in the amount of resourcing for justice-related law and order. We were looking at the figures yesterday. I think there is a 28 per cent gap between what we spend on law and order in this state compared with what the state which spends the next most spends per head of population. Of course this is a major issue. We have pressure on our prison system because so many people are incarcerated. We have a higher clean-up rate. These are issues that the government not only takes seriously, but also is pursuing seriously.
ASSAULTS — CHIEF JUSTICE’S REMARKS
I refer to remarks made by Chief Justice Wayne Martin in his address at the opening of Western Australia Law Week. (1) Is the Premier as concerned as I am that as senior a figure as the Chief Justice has chosen to warn of a significant increase in the number of assaults in our state and a growing culture of violence? (2) Does the Premier agree with the Chief Justice that at the moment we do not appear to be having any success in reducing the level of offending in relation to assault? (3) Will the Premier now recognise that minor tinkering and news-friendly initiatives are not enough and that now we need strong action, both in terms of sentencing and enforcement, to combat this growing problem? Mr A.J. CARPENTER replied: (1)-(3) I do not think that there would be a person in Western Australia who would not be concerned about violence and violent crime and that comes at no matter what level that violent crime is at either on a per capita basis or on the nature of the violent crime. To that extent, of course we share a great concern and that is why, for example, we introduced the one-punch legislation into this Parliament. We have provided for up to 600 extra police officers in our terms of government. If we do a state comparison, we now have by far something like a 28 per cent differential between the first and the next in the amount of resourcing for justice-related law and order. We were looking at the figures yesterday. I think there is a 28 per cent gap between what we spend on law and order in this state compared with what the state which spends the next most spends per head of population. Of course this is a major issue. We have pressure on our prison system because so many people are incarcerated. We have a higher clean-up rate. These are issues that the government not only takes seriously, but also is pursuing seriously.
(1) Is the Premier as concerned as I am that as senior a figure as the Chief Justice has chosen to warn of a significant increase in the number of assaults in our state and a growing culture of violence? (2) Does the Premier agree with the Chief Justice that at the moment we do not appear to be having any success in reducing the level of offending in relation to assault? (3) Will the Premier now recognise that minor tinkering and news-friendly initiatives are not enough and that now we need strong action, both in terms of sentencing and enforcement, to combat this growing problem? Mr A.J. CARPENTER replied: (1)-(3) I do not think that there would be a person in Western Australia who would not be concerned about violence and violent crime and that comes at no matter what level that violent crime is at either on a per capita basis or on the nature of the violent crime. To that extent, of course we share a great concern and that is why, for example, we introduced the one-punch legislation into this Parliament. We have provided for up to 600 extra police officers in our terms of government. If we do a state comparison, we now have by far something like a 28 per cent differential between the first and the next in the amount of resourcing for justice-related law and order. We were looking at the figures yesterday. I think there is a 28 per cent gap between what we spend on law and order in this state compared with what the state which spends the next most spends per head of population. Of course this is a major issue. We have pressure on our prison system because so many people are incarcerated. We have a higher clean-up rate. These are issues that the government not only takes seriously, but also is pursuing seriously.
(2) Does the Premier agree with the Chief Justice that at the moment we do not appear to be having any success in reducing the level of offending in relation to assault? (3) Will the Premier now recognise that minor tinkering and news-friendly initiatives are not enough and that now we need strong action, both in terms of sentencing and enforcement, to combat this growing problem? Mr A.J. CARPENTER replied: (1)-(3) I do not think that there would be a person in Western Australia who would not be concerned about violence and violent crime and that comes at no matter what level that violent crime is at either on a per capita basis or on the nature of the violent crime. To that extent, of course we share a great concern and that is why, for example, we introduced the one-punch legislation into this Parliament. We have provided for up to 600 extra police officers in our terms of government. If we do a state comparison, we now have by far something like a 28 per cent differential between the first and the next in the amount of resourcing for justice-related law and order. We were looking at the figures yesterday. I think there is a 28 per cent gap between what we spend on law and order in this state compared with what the state which spends the next most spends per head of population. Of course this is a major issue. We have pressure on our prison system because so many people are incarcerated. We have a higher clean-up rate. These are issues that the government not only takes seriously, but also is pursuing seriously.
(3) Will the Premier now recognise that minor tinkering and news-friendly initiatives are not enough and that now we need strong action, both in terms of sentencing and enforcement, to combat this growing problem? Mr A.J. CARPENTER replied: (1)-(3) I do not think that there would be a person in Western Australia who would not be concerned about violence and violent crime and that comes at no matter what level that violent crime is at either on a per capita basis or on the nature of the violent crime. To that extent, of course we share a great concern and that is why, for example, we introduced the one-punch legislation into this Parliament. We have provided for up to 600 extra police officers in our terms of government. If we do a state comparison, we now have by far something like a 28 per cent differential between the first and the next in the amount of resourcing for justice-related law and order. We were looking at the figures yesterday. I think there is a 28 per cent gap between what we spend on law and order in this state compared with what the state which spends the next most spends per head of population. Of course this is a major issue. We have pressure on our prison system because so many people are incarcerated. We have a higher clean-up rate. These are issues that the government not only takes seriously, but also is pursuing seriously.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER replied: (1)-(3) I do not think that there would be a person in Western Australia who would not be concerned about violence and violent crime and that comes at no matter what level that violent crime is at either on a per capita basis or on the nature of the violent crime. To that extent, of course we share a great concern and that is why, for example, we introduced the one-punch legislation into this Parliament. We have provided for up to 600 extra police officers in our terms of government. If we do a state comparison, we now have by far something like a 28 per cent differential between the first and the next in the amount of resourcing for justice-related law and order. We were looking at the figures yesterday. I think there is a 28 per cent gap between what we spend on law and order in this state compared with what the state which spends the next most spends per head of population. Of course this is a major issue. We have pressure on our prison system because so many people are incarcerated. We have a higher clean-up rate. These are issues that the government not only takes seriously, but also is pursuing seriously.
(1)-(3) I do not think that there would be a person in Western Australia who would not be concerned about violence and violent crime and that comes at no matter what level that violent crime is at either on a per capita basis or on the nature of the violent crime. To that extent, of course we share a great concern and that is why, for example, we introduced the one-punch legislation into this Parliament. We have provided for up to 600 extra police officers in our terms of government. If we do a state comparison, we now have by far something like a 28 per cent differential between the first and the next in the amount of resourcing for justice-related law and order. We were looking at the figures yesterday. I think there is a 28 per cent gap between what we spend on law and order in this state compared with what the state which spends the next most spends per head of population. Of course this is a major issue. We have pressure on our prison system because so many people are incarcerated. We have a higher clean-up rate. These are issues that the government not only takes seriously, but also is pursuing seriously.
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