❓ Mrs. Godfrey asks about the effectiveness of out-of-control parties legislation one year after its introduction. The Minister for Police responds positively, citing statistics on parties shut down and convictions, and highlighting the use of police dogs.
AnsweredQoN 889Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
OUT-OF-CONTROL
GATHERINGS LEGISLATION — EFFECTIVENESS
889. Mrs G.J. GODFREY to the
Minister for Police:
As we approach the first anniversary of the out-of-control
parties laws, could the Minister for Police please update the house on their
effectiveness?
GATHERINGS LEGISLATION — EFFECTIVENESS
889. Mrs G.J. GODFREY to the
Minister for Police:
As we approach the first anniversary of the out-of-control
parties laws, could the Minister for Police please update the house on their
effectiveness?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Belmont for her question and her
continued interest in law and order matters in and around her electorate. I am
very pleased to update the house on the out-of-control parties legislation. In
the past year, since that legislation was introduced to Parliament, police have
shut down an average of one out-of-control party every second weekend.
Twenty-three parties have been declared out-of-control gatherings under the
legislation and there have been six convictions for hosting a gathering that
subsequently became out of control. The member for Belmont has graced us with
her presence since March and we are very pleased that she is here, but members
who were present in the house at the time the legislation was introduced will
remember that when the legislation was being debated, all manner of accusations
were flying around the chamber about the kind of parties that would be shut
down as a result of this legislation. These included church gatherings and
people having a backyard barbeque with a couple of mates singing Kumbaya . As it happens, the kinds of
parties that have been shut down by police are exactly the kinds of parties
that the legislation was intended to control.
At that time, the government also found $1.2 million for
Western Australia Police to help boost the numbers of general purpose dogs. The
dogs are a very effective tool for managing crowds. On Friday, I was pleased to
attend a police dog graduation at which three of the dogs that we promised to
deliver graduated from the police dog squad training course. Those dogs are now
being used by police to help control crowds at these out-of-control gatherings.
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Members!
Mrs
L.M. HARVEY : I am surprised that the member for Rockingham is laughing
about this issue. He should be laughing at some of the comments members on his
side of the house made when the legislation was being debated.
The
SPEAKER : Minister for Police, address your comments through the chair,
please.
Mrs
L.M. HARVEY : I put on the record that I am cautiously calling this
legislation a success. I think police have used the legislation in the manner
in which it was intended—to shut down these out-of-control gatherings
and restore public order. I look forward to bringing more law and order
legislation to Parliament in the near future to ensure that we give police the
legislative tools they require to maintain community safety in Western
Australia.
continued interest in law and order matters in and around her electorate. I am
very pleased to update the house on the out-of-control parties legislation. In
the past year, since that legislation was introduced to Parliament, police have
shut down an average of one out-of-control party every second weekend.
Twenty-three parties have been declared out-of-control gatherings under the
legislation and there have been six convictions for hosting a gathering that
subsequently became out of control. The member for Belmont has graced us with
her presence since March and we are very pleased that she is here, but members
who were present in the house at the time the legislation was introduced will
remember that when the legislation was being debated, all manner of accusations
were flying around the chamber about the kind of parties that would be shut
down as a result of this legislation. These included church gatherings and
people having a backyard barbeque with a couple of mates singing Kumbaya . As it happens, the kinds of
parties that have been shut down by police are exactly the kinds of parties
that the legislation was intended to control.
At that time, the government also found $1.2 million for
Western Australia Police to help boost the numbers of general purpose dogs. The
dogs are a very effective tool for managing crowds. On Friday, I was pleased to
attend a police dog graduation at which three of the dogs that we promised to
deliver graduated from the police dog squad training course. Those dogs are now
being used by police to help control crowds at these out-of-control gatherings.
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Members!
Mrs
L.M. HARVEY : I am surprised that the member for Rockingham is laughing
about this issue. He should be laughing at some of the comments members on his
side of the house made when the legislation was being debated.
The
SPEAKER : Minister for Police, address your comments through the chair,
please.
Mrs
L.M. HARVEY : I put on the record that I am cautiously calling this
legislation a success. I think police have used the legislation in the manner
in which it was intended—to shut down these out-of-control gatherings
and restore public order. I look forward to bringing more law and order
legislation to Parliament in the near future to ensure that we give police the
legislative tools they require to maintain community safety in Western
Australia.
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