❓ Question regarding the cost and justification of police deployment at James Price Point during protests, and the Premier's involvement. The Premier denies involvement, citing police intelligence and past protest behaviour as justification.
AnsweredQoN 212Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
JAMES PRICE POINT — POLICE PRESENCE
212. Mrs M.H. ROBERTS to the Premier:
I refer to the
Commissioner of Police's revelation that the cost of the police
presence at James Price Point is $1 million over 10 days.
(1) Did the Premier or anyone from his office
or the Department of the Premier and Cabinet discuss the deployment with the
police commissioner or WA Police before it happened?
(2) Is $1 million too
much for taxpayers to spend?
(3) Why did the
Premier take 140 police officers out of our suburbs to subdue just 19
protesters?
212. Mrs M.H. ROBERTS to the Premier:
I refer to the
Commissioner of Police's revelation that the cost of the police
presence at James Price Point is $1 million over 10 days.
(1) Did the Premier or anyone from his office
or the Department of the Premier and Cabinet discuss the deployment with the
police commissioner or WA Police before it happened?
(2) Is $1 million too
much for taxpayers to spend?
(3) Why did the
Premier take 140 police officers out of our suburbs to subdue just 19
protesters?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(3) I thank the member for
Midland for the question. As the Commissioner of Police made clear, it was a
decision by the police commissioner at the request of the senior police officer
in Broome. There was no prior discussion with me or, to the best of my
knowledge, with anyone in my office. There was certainly no direction or
encouragement from the state government to do so. Indeed, the first I knew
about it was when I read a media report. I must say, I wondered whether that
number was warranted. That question was probably asked and the answer was that
that was going to happen, and I agree with that. Any sense that the government
may have instructed or encouraged the Commissioner of Police or the senior
officer to make that decision is completely false. It was entirely a decision
the commissioner made.
Why
might the police have made that decision? Members opposite have such short
memories! They should think back to the last significant protest at James Price
Point and what happened there. We had protesters racially vilifying Aboriginal
people in the most disgusting way. We had protesters spitting on Aboriginal
people, Woodside workers and transport workers. We had protesters tying
themselves onto and locking themselves in equipment. It was disgraceful
behaviour. I have learnt subsequently there was a sense almost that
professional protesters were coming in from around Australia. On the basis of
what I understand was police intelligence, a significant deployment was put in
place. What happened to the protest? Maybe the protesters decided to back off.
I do not know, but I understand the intelligence was that there was to be a
major protest. It would have been expensive, and probably of the order of $1 million,
for that deployment. It is correct that there was significant deployment. I
will not stand by and allow people in this state to be racially vilified,
attacked and spat on. This government will not allow that. We will stand up for
people. We will also stand up for people to go about their lawful business.
That is the attitude of this government, and the police commissioner took that
decision by himself, obviously in concert with his senior officers. There was
no involvement by the state government and no involvement by me.
Midland for the question. As the Commissioner of Police made clear, it was a
decision by the police commissioner at the request of the senior police officer
in Broome. There was no prior discussion with me or, to the best of my
knowledge, with anyone in my office. There was certainly no direction or
encouragement from the state government to do so. Indeed, the first I knew
about it was when I read a media report. I must say, I wondered whether that
number was warranted. That question was probably asked and the answer was that
that was going to happen, and I agree with that. Any sense that the government
may have instructed or encouraged the Commissioner of Police or the senior
officer to make that decision is completely false. It was entirely a decision
the commissioner made.
Why
might the police have made that decision? Members opposite have such short
memories! They should think back to the last significant protest at James Price
Point and what happened there. We had protesters racially vilifying Aboriginal
people in the most disgusting way. We had protesters spitting on Aboriginal
people, Woodside workers and transport workers. We had protesters tying
themselves onto and locking themselves in equipment. It was disgraceful
behaviour. I have learnt subsequently there was a sense almost that
professional protesters were coming in from around Australia. On the basis of
what I understand was police intelligence, a significant deployment was put in
place. What happened to the protest? Maybe the protesters decided to back off.
I do not know, but I understand the intelligence was that there was to be a
major protest. It would have been expensive, and probably of the order of $1 million,
for that deployment. It is correct that there was significant deployment. I
will not stand by and allow people in this state to be racially vilified,
attacked and spat on. This government will not allow that. We will stand up for
people. We will also stand up for people to go about their lawful business.
That is the attitude of this government, and the police commissioner took that
decision by himself, obviously in concert with his senior officers. There was
no involvement by the state government and no involvement by me.
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