❓ A WA parliamentary question addresses substandard police cells in country areas and requests permission for inspection. The Minister acknowledges the issue, outlines upgrade plans, and grants permission for inspection under usual processes.
AnsweredQoN 8Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I refer the minister to the fact that only 25 per cent of the State’s police cells meet custodial standards established under the Royal Commission into Black Deaths in Custody. (1) Does the minister concur with WA Police Union President Mike Dean’s comments in the Sunday Times of 29 February 2004 that country police officers are avoiding arrests like the plague because of substandard cells? (2) Will the minister give me permission, as I have requested in writing today, to inspect country police stations in the company of community and industry leaders, and the media? Initially we wish to start at the Williams Police Station. Mrs M.H. ROBERTS
AnswerView source ↗
(1) I thank the Leader of the National Party for the question. When we came to office we inherited a range of police stations. The Royal Commission into Black Deaths in Custody was held some years ago. Quite a lot of police stations and holding cells were not up to standard. We have put in place a program and we are gradually upgrading those police stations and those cells. That level of upgrading is taking place at a higher rate than occurred with the previous Government. We are building a new police complex at Albany, as the holding cells there, which I inspected when I was in opposition, were unusable. Fixing up the Albany police complex, which was a disgrace, has been a priority for this Government. We also plan to build new police stations at Wanneroo, Newman, Laverton and nine remote multifunction police stations. We have also embarked on a program of cell upgrades for appropriate stations. Unlike some members opposite, the former Kennett Government in Victoria and other conservative Governments, we have not embarked on a program of closing country police stations; we have kept those stations open and it is our plan to continue to upgrade them. (2) Finally, I am happy to give permission to the Leader of National Party and other National party members to inspect stations in accordance with the usual processes and I thank the member for giving me the letter before question time today.
(1) Does the minister concur with WA Police Union President Mike Dean’s comments in the Sunday Times of 29 February 2004 that country police officers are avoiding arrests like the plague because of substandard cells? (2) Will the minister give me permission, as I have requested in writing today, to inspect country police stations in the company of community and industry leaders, and the media? Initially we wish to start at the Williams Police Station. Mrs M.H. ROBERTS replied: (1) I thank the Leader of the National Party for the question. When we came to office we inherited a range of police stations. The Royal Commission into Black Deaths in Custody was held some years ago. Quite a lot of police stations and holding cells were not up to standard. We have put in place a program and we are gradually upgrading those police stations and those cells. That level of upgrading is taking place at a higher rate than occurred with the previous Government. We are building a new police complex at Albany, as the holding cells there, which I inspected when I was in opposition, were unusable. Fixing up the Albany police complex, which was a disgrace, has been a priority for this Government. We also plan to build new police stations at Wanneroo, Newman, Laverton and nine remote multifunction police stations. We have also embarked on a program of cell upgrades for appropriate stations. Unlike some members opposite, the former Kennett Government in Victoria and other conservative Governments, we have not embarked on a program of closing country police stations; we have kept those stations open and it is our plan to continue to upgrade them. (2) Finally, I am happy to give permission to the Leader of National Party and other National party members to inspect stations in accordance with the usual processes and I thank the member for giving me the letter before question time today.
(2) Will the minister give me permission, as I have requested in writing today, to inspect country police stations in the company of community and industry leaders, and the media? Initially we wish to start at the Williams Police Station. Mrs M.H. ROBERTS replied: (1) I thank the Leader of the National Party for the question. When we came to office we inherited a range of police stations. The Royal Commission into Black Deaths in Custody was held some years ago. Quite a lot of police stations and holding cells were not up to standard. We have put in place a program and we are gradually upgrading those police stations and those cells. That level of upgrading is taking place at a higher rate than occurred with the previous Government. We are building a new police complex at Albany, as the holding cells there, which I inspected when I was in opposition, were unusable. Fixing up the Albany police complex, which was a disgrace, has been a priority for this Government. We also plan to build new police stations at Wanneroo, Newman, Laverton and nine remote multifunction police stations. We have also embarked on a program of cell upgrades for appropriate stations. Unlike some members opposite, the former Kennett Government in Victoria and other conservative Governments, we have not embarked on a program of closing country police stations; we have kept those stations open and it is our plan to continue to upgrade them. (2) Finally, I am happy to give permission to the Leader of National Party and other National party members to inspect stations in accordance with the usual processes and I thank the member for giving me the letter before question time today.
Mrs M.H. ROBERTS replied: (1) I thank the Leader of the National Party for the question. When we came to office we inherited a range of police stations. The Royal Commission into Black Deaths in Custody was held some years ago. Quite a lot of police stations and holding cells were not up to standard. We have put in place a program and we are gradually upgrading those police stations and those cells. That level of upgrading is taking place at a higher rate than occurred with the previous Government. We are building a new police complex at Albany, as the holding cells there, which I inspected when I was in opposition, were unusable. Fixing up the Albany police complex, which was a disgrace, has been a priority for this Government. We also plan to build new police stations at Wanneroo, Newman, Laverton and nine remote multifunction police stations. We have also embarked on a program of cell upgrades for appropriate stations. Unlike some members opposite, the former Kennett Government in Victoria and other conservative Governments, we have not embarked on a program of closing country police stations; we have kept those stations open and it is our plan to continue to upgrade them. (2) Finally, I am happy to give permission to the Leader of National Party and other National party members to inspect stations in accordance with the usual processes and I thank the member for giving me the letter before question time today.
(1) I thank the Leader of the National Party for the question. When we came to office we inherited a range of police stations. The Royal Commission into Black Deaths in Custody was held some years ago. Quite a lot of police stations and holding cells were not up to standard. We have put in place a program and we are gradually upgrading those police stations and those cells. That level of upgrading is taking place at a higher rate than occurred with the previous Government. We are building a new police complex at Albany, as the holding cells there, which I inspected when I was in opposition, were unusable. Fixing up the Albany police complex, which was a disgrace, has been a priority for this Government. We also plan to build new police stations at Wanneroo, Newman, Laverton and nine remote multifunction police stations. We have also embarked on a program of cell upgrades for appropriate stations. Unlike some members opposite, the former Kennett Government in Victoria and other conservative Governments, we have not embarked on a program of closing country police stations; we have kept those stations open and it is our plan to continue to upgrade them. (2) Finally, I am happy to give permission to the Leader of National Party and other National party members to inspect stations in accordance with the usual processes and I thank the member for giving me the letter before question time today.
(2) Finally, I am happy to give permission to the Leader of National Party and other National party members to inspect stations in accordance with the usual processes and I thank the member for giving me the letter before question time today.
(1) Does the minister concur with WA Police Union President Mike Dean’s comments in the Sunday Times of 29 February 2004 that country police officers are avoiding arrests like the plague because of substandard cells? (2) Will the minister give me permission, as I have requested in writing today, to inspect country police stations in the company of community and industry leaders, and the media? Initially we wish to start at the Williams Police Station. Mrs M.H. ROBERTS replied: (1) I thank the Leader of the National Party for the question. When we came to office we inherited a range of police stations. The Royal Commission into Black Deaths in Custody was held some years ago. Quite a lot of police stations and holding cells were not up to standard. We have put in place a program and we are gradually upgrading those police stations and those cells. That level of upgrading is taking place at a higher rate than occurred with the previous Government. We are building a new police complex at Albany, as the holding cells there, which I inspected when I was in opposition, were unusable. Fixing up the Albany police complex, which was a disgrace, has been a priority for this Government. We also plan to build new police stations at Wanneroo, Newman, Laverton and nine remote multifunction police stations. We have also embarked on a program of cell upgrades for appropriate stations. Unlike some members opposite, the former Kennett Government in Victoria and other conservative Governments, we have not embarked on a program of closing country police stations; we have kept those stations open and it is our plan to continue to upgrade them. (2) Finally, I am happy to give permission to the Leader of National Party and other National party members to inspect stations in accordance with the usual processes and I thank the member for giving me the letter before question time today.
(2) Will the minister give me permission, as I have requested in writing today, to inspect country police stations in the company of community and industry leaders, and the media? Initially we wish to start at the Williams Police Station. Mrs M.H. ROBERTS replied: (1) I thank the Leader of the National Party for the question. When we came to office we inherited a range of police stations. The Royal Commission into Black Deaths in Custody was held some years ago. Quite a lot of police stations and holding cells were not up to standard. We have put in place a program and we are gradually upgrading those police stations and those cells. That level of upgrading is taking place at a higher rate than occurred with the previous Government. We are building a new police complex at Albany, as the holding cells there, which I inspected when I was in opposition, were unusable. Fixing up the Albany police complex, which was a disgrace, has been a priority for this Government. We also plan to build new police stations at Wanneroo, Newman, Laverton and nine remote multifunction police stations. We have also embarked on a program of cell upgrades for appropriate stations. Unlike some members opposite, the former Kennett Government in Victoria and other conservative Governments, we have not embarked on a program of closing country police stations; we have kept those stations open and it is our plan to continue to upgrade them. (2) Finally, I am happy to give permission to the Leader of National Party and other National party members to inspect stations in accordance with the usual processes and I thank the member for giving me the letter before question time today.
Mrs M.H. ROBERTS replied: (1) I thank the Leader of the National Party for the question. When we came to office we inherited a range of police stations. The Royal Commission into Black Deaths in Custody was held some years ago. Quite a lot of police stations and holding cells were not up to standard. We have put in place a program and we are gradually upgrading those police stations and those cells. That level of upgrading is taking place at a higher rate than occurred with the previous Government. We are building a new police complex at Albany, as the holding cells there, which I inspected when I was in opposition, were unusable. Fixing up the Albany police complex, which was a disgrace, has been a priority for this Government. We also plan to build new police stations at Wanneroo, Newman, Laverton and nine remote multifunction police stations. We have also embarked on a program of cell upgrades for appropriate stations. Unlike some members opposite, the former Kennett Government in Victoria and other conservative Governments, we have not embarked on a program of closing country police stations; we have kept those stations open and it is our plan to continue to upgrade them. (2) Finally, I am happy to give permission to the Leader of National Party and other National party members to inspect stations in accordance with the usual processes and I thank the member for giving me the letter before question time today.
(1) I thank the Leader of the National Party for the question. When we came to office we inherited a range of police stations. The Royal Commission into Black Deaths in Custody was held some years ago. Quite a lot of police stations and holding cells were not up to standard. We have put in place a program and we are gradually upgrading those police stations and those cells. That level of upgrading is taking place at a higher rate than occurred with the previous Government. We are building a new police complex at Albany, as the holding cells there, which I inspected when I was in opposition, were unusable. Fixing up the Albany police complex, which was a disgrace, has been a priority for this Government. We also plan to build new police stations at Wanneroo, Newman, Laverton and nine remote multifunction police stations. We have also embarked on a program of cell upgrades for appropriate stations. Unlike some members opposite, the former Kennett Government in Victoria and other conservative Governments, we have not embarked on a program of closing country police stations; we have kept those stations open and it is our plan to continue to upgrade them. (2) Finally, I am happy to give permission to the Leader of National Party and other National party members to inspect stations in accordance with the usual processes and I thank the member for giving me the letter before question time today.
(2) Finally, I am happy to give permission to the Leader of National Party and other National party members to inspect stations in accordance with the usual processes and I thank the member for giving me the letter before question time today.
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.