Opposition MP Krsticevic questions Premier McGowan on whether police resourcing contributed to increased violent crime. McGowan refutes the claim, citing an overall decline in offences and attributing increases in domestic violence to lockdown conditions and improved reporting.

AnsweredQoN 623Legislative Assembly
Asked
8 September 2020
Portfolio
Premier

QuestionView source ↗

CORONAVIRUS —
POLICE RESOURCES
623. Mr A. KRSTICEVIC to the Premier:
I have a supplementary question. Can
the Premier confirm that the lack of police resourcing has contributed to the
highest level of violent crime in Western Australia's history, making
people feel unsafe in our local communities?

AnswerView source ↗

We have seen an overall decline in
offences in Western Australia over the course of the last year. Where we have
seen an increase in offences has been in the area of domestic violence, which
has been similarly reflected in other parts of Australia and other parts of the
world when lockdown happened.
Several members interjected.
Mr M. McGOWAN : It is just a fact.
Do members want to listen? I mean, seriously.
It has been reflected in other parts
of the world when people have lost their jobs and when people have, in effect,
been locked at home. There has been an increase in domestic violence and also
the reporting of domestic violence. Obviously, we have brought in a new system
that means all these cases are recorded as well. Naturally, when we record everything, there will be an increase in
reported offences as opposed to when we do not. In overall terms, there has been at least a 10 per cent decline in
reported offences across Western Australia. I just wish the Liberal Party would get on board with our efforts to try to deal with COVID, rather than playing
the nitpicking politics it always does.
The SPEAKER : Members, that is
the end of question time.

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