❓ Question regarding the allocation of 500 additional police officers promised in the budget, specifically the mix of fully sworn officers and auxiliary officers. The Minister's response is frequently interrupted by opposition members raising concerns about the training and powers of the auxiliary officers.
AnsweredQoN 456Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
POLICE — ADDITIONAL OFFICERS
Law and order is one of the Liberal-National government’s highest priorities, and it has made a firm commitment to enhance the police presence within our community. Can the minister outline to the house the mix of additional police officers as announced in the budget? Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Some people take a little while to learn. The question is not about the electorate of the member for North West. I call him formally for the first time. Mr R.F. JOHNSON
Law and order is one of the Liberal-National government’s highest priorities, and it has made a firm commitment to enhance the police presence within our community. Can the minister outline to the house the mix of additional police officers as announced in the budget? Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Some people take a little while to learn. The question is not about the electorate of the member for North West. I call him formally for the first time. Mr R.F. JOHNSON
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for the question and acknowledge his very keen interest in law and order issues, not only in his own electorate but also throughout Western Australia. The crux of the question is to do with additional policing and the 500 extra police officers that the government promised and will provide. I will explain the mix. There will be 500 extra police officers; 350 of them — Ms M.M. Quirk : Have they got the same powers? The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen! Ms M.M. Quirk : Have you lied to the Western Australian public? The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, that is not appropriate. I call you formally for the first time. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The member for Girrawheen suggested that I had lied. That is unparliamentary, but I have become used to her tirades and I expect them. Last night she spent an entire half an hour personally attacking me as Minister for Police. If I were a sensitive person, I would be most hurt! I was astounded by the arrogance and ignorance of the shadow minister, because she seems to think that she knows more about operational police matters than the commissioner does. Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : These are all real cops; they are all real police officers. They are not robots, dummies or mannequins. They are real police officers, but the important point is — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mrs M.H. Roberts : You live and breathe; it doesn’t make you a minister! Mr M.P. Whitely : He’s seen Police Academy ! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : That is very nasty. Mr Speaker, you can see how hurtful some of the comments from those opposite can be! They really cut to the quick; they really do! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members to my left! Member for Willagee! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The 350 and 150 auxiliary officers are what the Commissioner for Police asked for. He is in charge of all operational issues, and he was over the moon about the fact that the government had actually agreed to the 350 and 150 additional officers. Do members know why? It is because it gives him more flexibility. I am sure that the former police minister will acknowledge that the commissioner needs that flexibility. Mr J.C. Kobelke : They’re not taking blue shirts and turning them into something else. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : There will be blue shirts. Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I will tell members. They will be carrying out police duties. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! I urge the minister to get to the nub of his answer, and I formally call to order the member for Bassendean for the second time, and the member for Perth for the first time. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : These 150 auxiliary police officers will be doing many of the jobs that fully trained and fully sworn police officers are doing at the moment. Approximately 40 police officers have been relinquished from the lockup in Perth to perform front-line duties. They have been replaced by custodial officers—blue shirts—who will be sworn in as special constables. The 150 extra auxiliary officers— Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be trained; of course they will. Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Of course they will not. They will be taking over a lot of the work that our police officers are doing at the moment. We want police officers who are currently doing office work in the stations— Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Armadale! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The trouble is, Mr Speaker, that the opposition is not interested in the truth. It is not interested in law and order. The Labor Party did not take law and order seriously; it did not take drugs seriously. It does not take anything seriously. It deserves to be where it is, and it will be there for a very long time.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Some people take a little while to learn. The question is not about the electorate of the member for North West. I call him formally for the first time. Mr R.F. JOHNSON replied: I thank the member for the question and acknowledge his very keen interest in law and order issues, not only in his own electorate but also throughout Western Australia. The crux of the question is to do with additional policing and the 500 extra police officers that the government promised and will provide. I will explain the mix. There will be 500 extra police officers; 350 of them — Ms M.M. Quirk : Have they got the same powers? The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen! Ms M.M. Quirk : Have you lied to the Western Australian public? The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, that is not appropriate. I call you formally for the first time. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The member for Girrawheen suggested that I had lied. That is unparliamentary, but I have become used to her tirades and I expect them. Last night she spent an entire half an hour personally attacking me as Minister for Police. If I were a sensitive person, I would be most hurt! I was astounded by the arrogance and ignorance of the shadow minister, because she seems to think that she knows more about operational police matters than the commissioner does. Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : These are all real cops; they are all real police officers. They are not robots, dummies or mannequins. They are real police officers, but the important point is — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mrs M.H. Roberts : You live and breathe; it doesn’t make you a minister! Mr M.P. Whitely : He’s seen Police Academy ! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : That is very nasty. Mr Speaker, you can see how hurtful some of the comments from those opposite can be! They really cut to the quick; they really do! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members to my left! Member for Willagee! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The 350 and 150 auxiliary officers are what the Commissioner for Police asked for. He is in charge of all operational issues, and he was over the moon about the fact that the government had actually agreed to the 350 and 150 additional officers. Do members know why? It is because it gives him more flexibility. I am sure that the former police minister will acknowledge that the commissioner needs that flexibility. Mr J.C. Kobelke : They’re not taking blue shirts and turning them into something else. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : There will be blue shirts. Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I will tell members. They will be carrying out police duties. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! I urge the minister to get to the nub of his answer, and I formally call to order the member for Bassendean for the second time, and the member for Perth for the first time. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : These 150 auxiliary police officers will be doing many of the jobs that fully trained and fully sworn police officers are doing at the moment. Approximately 40 police officers have been relinquished from the lockup in Perth to perform front-line duties. They have been replaced by custodial officers—blue shirts—who will be sworn in as special constables. The 150 extra auxiliary officers— Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be trained; of course they will. Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Of course they will not. They will be taking over a lot of the work that our police officers are doing at the moment. We want police officers who are currently doing office work in the stations— Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Armadale! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The trouble is, Mr Speaker, that the opposition is not interested in the truth. It is not interested in law and order. The Labor Party did not take law and order seriously; it did not take drugs seriously. It does not take anything seriously. It deserves to be where it is, and it will be there for a very long time.
The SPEAKER : Some people take a little while to learn. The question is not about the electorate of the member for North West. I call him formally for the first time. Mr R.F. JOHNSON replied: I thank the member for the question and acknowledge his very keen interest in law and order issues, not only in his own electorate but also throughout Western Australia. The crux of the question is to do with additional policing and the 500 extra police officers that the government promised and will provide. I will explain the mix. There will be 500 extra police officers; 350 of them — Ms M.M. Quirk : Have they got the same powers? The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen! Ms M.M. Quirk : Have you lied to the Western Australian public? The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, that is not appropriate. I call you formally for the first time. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The member for Girrawheen suggested that I had lied. That is unparliamentary, but I have become used to her tirades and I expect them. Last night she spent an entire half an hour personally attacking me as Minister for Police. If I were a sensitive person, I would be most hurt! I was astounded by the arrogance and ignorance of the shadow minister, because she seems to think that she knows more about operational police matters than the commissioner does. Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : These are all real cops; they are all real police officers. They are not robots, dummies or mannequins. They are real police officers, but the important point is — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mrs M.H. Roberts : You live and breathe; it doesn’t make you a minister! Mr M.P. Whitely : He’s seen Police Academy ! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : That is very nasty. Mr Speaker, you can see how hurtful some of the comments from those opposite can be! They really cut to the quick; they really do! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members to my left! Member for Willagee! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The 350 and 150 auxiliary officers are what the Commissioner for Police asked for. He is in charge of all operational issues, and he was over the moon about the fact that the government had actually agreed to the 350 and 150 additional officers. Do members know why? It is because it gives him more flexibility. I am sure that the former police minister will acknowledge that the commissioner needs that flexibility. Mr J.C. Kobelke : They’re not taking blue shirts and turning them into something else. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : There will be blue shirts. Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I will tell members. They will be carrying out police duties. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! I urge the minister to get to the nub of his answer, and I formally call to order the member for Bassendean for the second time, and the member for Perth for the first time. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : These 150 auxiliary police officers will be doing many of the jobs that fully trained and fully sworn police officers are doing at the moment. Approximately 40 police officers have been relinquished from the lockup in Perth to perform front-line duties. They have been replaced by custodial officers—blue shirts—who will be sworn in as special constables. The 150 extra auxiliary officers— Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be trained; of course they will. Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Of course they will not. They will be taking over a lot of the work that our police officers are doing at the moment. We want police officers who are currently doing office work in the stations— Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Armadale! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The trouble is, Mr Speaker, that the opposition is not interested in the truth. It is not interested in law and order. The Labor Party did not take law and order seriously; it did not take drugs seriously. It does not take anything seriously. It deserves to be where it is, and it will be there for a very long time.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON replied: I thank the member for the question and acknowledge his very keen interest in law and order issues, not only in his own electorate but also throughout Western Australia. The crux of the question is to do with additional policing and the 500 extra police officers that the government promised and will provide. I will explain the mix. There will be 500 extra police officers; 350 of them — Ms M.M. Quirk : Have they got the same powers? The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen! Ms M.M. Quirk : Have you lied to the Western Australian public? The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, that is not appropriate. I call you formally for the first time. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The member for Girrawheen suggested that I had lied. That is unparliamentary, but I have become used to her tirades and I expect them. Last night she spent an entire half an hour personally attacking me as Minister for Police. If I were a sensitive person, I would be most hurt! I was astounded by the arrogance and ignorance of the shadow minister, because she seems to think that she knows more about operational police matters than the commissioner does. Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : These are all real cops; they are all real police officers. They are not robots, dummies or mannequins. They are real police officers, but the important point is — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mrs M.H. Roberts : You live and breathe; it doesn’t make you a minister! Mr M.P. Whitely : He’s seen Police Academy ! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : That is very nasty. Mr Speaker, you can see how hurtful some of the comments from those opposite can be! They really cut to the quick; they really do! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members to my left! Member for Willagee! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The 350 and 150 auxiliary officers are what the Commissioner for Police asked for. He is in charge of all operational issues, and he was over the moon about the fact that the government had actually agreed to the 350 and 150 additional officers. Do members know why? It is because it gives him more flexibility. I am sure that the former police minister will acknowledge that the commissioner needs that flexibility. Mr J.C. Kobelke : They’re not taking blue shirts and turning them into something else. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : There will be blue shirts. Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I will tell members. They will be carrying out police duties. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! I urge the minister to get to the nub of his answer, and I formally call to order the member for Bassendean for the second time, and the member for Perth for the first time. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : These 150 auxiliary police officers will be doing many of the jobs that fully trained and fully sworn police officers are doing at the moment. Approximately 40 police officers have been relinquished from the lockup in Perth to perform front-line duties. They have been replaced by custodial officers—blue shirts—who will be sworn in as special constables. The 150 extra auxiliary officers— Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be trained; of course they will. Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Of course they will not. They will be taking over a lot of the work that our police officers are doing at the moment. We want police officers who are currently doing office work in the stations— Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Armadale! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The trouble is, Mr Speaker, that the opposition is not interested in the truth. It is not interested in law and order. The Labor Party did not take law and order seriously; it did not take drugs seriously. It does not take anything seriously. It deserves to be where it is, and it will be there for a very long time.
I thank the member for the question and acknowledge his very keen interest in law and order issues, not only in his own electorate but also throughout Western Australia. The crux of the question is to do with additional policing and the 500 extra police officers that the government promised and will provide. I will explain the mix. There will be 500 extra police officers; 350 of them — Ms M.M. Quirk : Have they got the same powers? The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen! Ms M.M. Quirk : Have you lied to the Western Australian public? The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, that is not appropriate. I call you formally for the first time. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The member for Girrawheen suggested that I had lied. That is unparliamentary, but I have become used to her tirades and I expect them. Last night she spent an entire half an hour personally attacking me as Minister for Police. If I were a sensitive person, I would be most hurt! I was astounded by the arrogance and ignorance of the shadow minister, because she seems to think that she knows more about operational police matters than the commissioner does. Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : These are all real cops; they are all real police officers. They are not robots, dummies or mannequins. They are real police officers, but the important point is — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mrs M.H. Roberts : You live and breathe; it doesn’t make you a minister! Mr M.P. Whitely : He’s seen Police Academy ! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : That is very nasty. Mr Speaker, you can see how hurtful some of the comments from those opposite can be! They really cut to the quick; they really do! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members to my left! Member for Willagee! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The 350 and 150 auxiliary officers are what the Commissioner for Police asked for. He is in charge of all operational issues, and he was over the moon about the fact that the government had actually agreed to the 350 and 150 additional officers. Do members know why? It is because it gives him more flexibility. I am sure that the former police minister will acknowledge that the commissioner needs that flexibility. Mr J.C. Kobelke : They’re not taking blue shirts and turning them into something else. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : There will be blue shirts. Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I will tell members. They will be carrying out police duties. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! I urge the minister to get to the nub of his answer, and I formally call to order the member for Bassendean for the second time, and the member for Perth for the first time. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : These 150 auxiliary police officers will be doing many of the jobs that fully trained and fully sworn police officers are doing at the moment. Approximately 40 police officers have been relinquished from the lockup in Perth to perform front-line duties. They have been replaced by custodial officers—blue shirts—who will be sworn in as special constables. The 150 extra auxiliary officers— Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be trained; of course they will. Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Of course they will not. They will be taking over a lot of the work that our police officers are doing at the moment. We want police officers who are currently doing office work in the stations— Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Armadale! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The trouble is, Mr Speaker, that the opposition is not interested in the truth. It is not interested in law and order. The Labor Party did not take law and order seriously; it did not take drugs seriously. It does not take anything seriously. It deserves to be where it is, and it will be there for a very long time.
Ms M.M. Quirk : Have they got the same powers? The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen! Ms M.M. Quirk : Have you lied to the Western Australian public? The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, that is not appropriate. I call you formally for the first time. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The member for Girrawheen suggested that I had lied. That is unparliamentary, but I have become used to her tirades and I expect them. Last night she spent an entire half an hour personally attacking me as Minister for Police. If I were a sensitive person, I would be most hurt! I was astounded by the arrogance and ignorance of the shadow minister, because she seems to think that she knows more about operational police matters than the commissioner does. Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : These are all real cops; they are all real police officers. They are not robots, dummies or mannequins. They are real police officers, but the important point is — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mrs M.H. Roberts : You live and breathe; it doesn’t make you a minister! Mr M.P. Whitely : He’s seen Police Academy ! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : That is very nasty. Mr Speaker, you can see how hurtful some of the comments from those opposite can be! They really cut to the quick; they really do! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members to my left! Member for Willagee! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The 350 and 150 auxiliary officers are what the Commissioner for Police asked for. He is in charge of all operational issues, and he was over the moon about the fact that the government had actually agreed to the 350 and 150 additional officers. Do members know why? It is because it gives him more flexibility. I am sure that the former police minister will acknowledge that the commissioner needs that flexibility. Mr J.C. Kobelke : They’re not taking blue shirts and turning them into something else. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : There will be blue shirts. Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I will tell members. They will be carrying out police duties. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! I urge the minister to get to the nub of his answer, and I formally call to order the member for Bassendean for the second time, and the member for Perth for the first time. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : These 150 auxiliary police officers will be doing many of the jobs that fully trained and fully sworn police officers are doing at the moment. Approximately 40 police officers have been relinquished from the lockup in Perth to perform front-line duties. They have been replaced by custodial officers—blue shirts—who will be sworn in as special constables. The 150 extra auxiliary officers— Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be trained; of course they will. Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Of course they will not. They will be taking over a lot of the work that our police officers are doing at the moment. We want police officers who are currently doing office work in the stations— Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Armadale! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The trouble is, Mr Speaker, that the opposition is not interested in the truth. It is not interested in law and order. The Labor Party did not take law and order seriously; it did not take drugs seriously. It does not take anything seriously. It deserves to be where it is, and it will be there for a very long time.
The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen! Ms M.M. Quirk : Have you lied to the Western Australian public? The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, that is not appropriate. I call you formally for the first time. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The member for Girrawheen suggested that I had lied. That is unparliamentary, but I have become used to her tirades and I expect them. Last night she spent an entire half an hour personally attacking me as Minister for Police. If I were a sensitive person, I would be most hurt! I was astounded by the arrogance and ignorance of the shadow minister, because she seems to think that she knows more about operational police matters than the commissioner does. Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : These are all real cops; they are all real police officers. They are not robots, dummies or mannequins. They are real police officers, but the important point is — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mrs M.H. Roberts : You live and breathe; it doesn’t make you a minister! Mr M.P. Whitely : He’s seen Police Academy ! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : That is very nasty. Mr Speaker, you can see how hurtful some of the comments from those opposite can be! They really cut to the quick; they really do! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members to my left! Member for Willagee! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The 350 and 150 auxiliary officers are what the Commissioner for Police asked for. He is in charge of all operational issues, and he was over the moon about the fact that the government had actually agreed to the 350 and 150 additional officers. Do members know why? It is because it gives him more flexibility. I am sure that the former police minister will acknowledge that the commissioner needs that flexibility. Mr J.C. Kobelke : They’re not taking blue shirts and turning them into something else. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : There will be blue shirts. Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I will tell members. They will be carrying out police duties. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! I urge the minister to get to the nub of his answer, and I formally call to order the member for Bassendean for the second time, and the member for Perth for the first time. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : These 150 auxiliary police officers will be doing many of the jobs that fully trained and fully sworn police officers are doing at the moment. Approximately 40 police officers have been relinquished from the lockup in Perth to perform front-line duties. They have been replaced by custodial officers—blue shirts—who will be sworn in as special constables. The 150 extra auxiliary officers— Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be trained; of course they will. Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Of course they will not. They will be taking over a lot of the work that our police officers are doing at the moment. We want police officers who are currently doing office work in the stations— Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Armadale! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The trouble is, Mr Speaker, that the opposition is not interested in the truth. It is not interested in law and order. The Labor Party did not take law and order seriously; it did not take drugs seriously. It does not take anything seriously. It deserves to be where it is, and it will be there for a very long time.
Ms M.M. Quirk : Have you lied to the Western Australian public? The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, that is not appropriate. I call you formally for the first time. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The member for Girrawheen suggested that I had lied. That is unparliamentary, but I have become used to her tirades and I expect them. Last night she spent an entire half an hour personally attacking me as Minister for Police. If I were a sensitive person, I would be most hurt! I was astounded by the arrogance and ignorance of the shadow minister, because she seems to think that she knows more about operational police matters than the commissioner does. Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : These are all real cops; they are all real police officers. They are not robots, dummies or mannequins. They are real police officers, but the important point is — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mrs M.H. Roberts : You live and breathe; it doesn’t make you a minister! Mr M.P. Whitely : He’s seen Police Academy ! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : That is very nasty. Mr Speaker, you can see how hurtful some of the comments from those opposite can be! They really cut to the quick; they really do! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members to my left! Member for Willagee! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The 350 and 150 auxiliary officers are what the Commissioner for Police asked for. He is in charge of all operational issues, and he was over the moon about the fact that the government had actually agreed to the 350 and 150 additional officers. Do members know why? It is because it gives him more flexibility. I am sure that the former police minister will acknowledge that the commissioner needs that flexibility. Mr J.C. Kobelke : They’re not taking blue shirts and turning them into something else. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : There will be blue shirts. Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I will tell members. They will be carrying out police duties. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! I urge the minister to get to the nub of his answer, and I formally call to order the member for Bassendean for the second time, and the member for Perth for the first time. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : These 150 auxiliary police officers will be doing many of the jobs that fully trained and fully sworn police officers are doing at the moment. Approximately 40 police officers have been relinquished from the lockup in Perth to perform front-line duties. They have been replaced by custodial officers—blue shirts—who will be sworn in as special constables. The 150 extra auxiliary officers— Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be trained; of course they will. Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Of course they will not. They will be taking over a lot of the work that our police officers are doing at the moment. We want police officers who are currently doing office work in the stations— Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Armadale! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The trouble is, Mr Speaker, that the opposition is not interested in the truth. It is not interested in law and order. The Labor Party did not take law and order seriously; it did not take drugs seriously. It does not take anything seriously. It deserves to be where it is, and it will be there for a very long time.
The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, that is not appropriate. I call you formally for the first time. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The member for Girrawheen suggested that I had lied. That is unparliamentary, but I have become used to her tirades and I expect them. Last night she spent an entire half an hour personally attacking me as Minister for Police. If I were a sensitive person, I would be most hurt! I was astounded by the arrogance and ignorance of the shadow minister, because she seems to think that she knows more about operational police matters than the commissioner does. Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : These are all real cops; they are all real police officers. They are not robots, dummies or mannequins. They are real police officers, but the important point is — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mrs M.H. Roberts : You live and breathe; it doesn’t make you a minister! Mr M.P. Whitely : He’s seen Police Academy ! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : That is very nasty. Mr Speaker, you can see how hurtful some of the comments from those opposite can be! They really cut to the quick; they really do! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members to my left! Member for Willagee! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The 350 and 150 auxiliary officers are what the Commissioner for Police asked for. He is in charge of all operational issues, and he was over the moon about the fact that the government had actually agreed to the 350 and 150 additional officers. Do members know why? It is because it gives him more flexibility. I am sure that the former police minister will acknowledge that the commissioner needs that flexibility. Mr J.C. Kobelke : They’re not taking blue shirts and turning them into something else. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : There will be blue shirts. Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I will tell members. They will be carrying out police duties. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! I urge the minister to get to the nub of his answer, and I formally call to order the member for Bassendean for the second time, and the member for Perth for the first time. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : These 150 auxiliary police officers will be doing many of the jobs that fully trained and fully sworn police officers are doing at the moment. Approximately 40 police officers have been relinquished from the lockup in Perth to perform front-line duties. They have been replaced by custodial officers—blue shirts—who will be sworn in as special constables. The 150 extra auxiliary officers— Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be trained; of course they will. Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Of course they will not. They will be taking over a lot of the work that our police officers are doing at the moment. We want police officers who are currently doing office work in the stations— Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Armadale! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The trouble is, Mr Speaker, that the opposition is not interested in the truth. It is not interested in law and order. The Labor Party did not take law and order seriously; it did not take drugs seriously. It does not take anything seriously. It deserves to be where it is, and it will be there for a very long time.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The member for Girrawheen suggested that I had lied. That is unparliamentary, but I have become used to her tirades and I expect them. Last night she spent an entire half an hour personally attacking me as Minister for Police. If I were a sensitive person, I would be most hurt! I was astounded by the arrogance and ignorance of the shadow minister, because she seems to think that she knows more about operational police matters than the commissioner does. Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : These are all real cops; they are all real police officers. They are not robots, dummies or mannequins. They are real police officers, but the important point is — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mrs M.H. Roberts : You live and breathe; it doesn’t make you a minister! Mr M.P. Whitely : He’s seen Police Academy ! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : That is very nasty. Mr Speaker, you can see how hurtful some of the comments from those opposite can be! They really cut to the quick; they really do! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members to my left! Member for Willagee! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The 350 and 150 auxiliary officers are what the Commissioner for Police asked for. He is in charge of all operational issues, and he was over the moon about the fact that the government had actually agreed to the 350 and 150 additional officers. Do members know why? It is because it gives him more flexibility. I am sure that the former police minister will acknowledge that the commissioner needs that flexibility. Mr J.C. Kobelke : They’re not taking blue shirts and turning them into something else. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : There will be blue shirts. Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I will tell members. They will be carrying out police duties. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! I urge the minister to get to the nub of his answer, and I formally call to order the member for Bassendean for the second time, and the member for Perth for the first time. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : These 150 auxiliary police officers will be doing many of the jobs that fully trained and fully sworn police officers are doing at the moment. Approximately 40 police officers have been relinquished from the lockup in Perth to perform front-line duties. They have been replaced by custodial officers—blue shirts—who will be sworn in as special constables. The 150 extra auxiliary officers— Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be trained; of course they will. Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Of course they will not. They will be taking over a lot of the work that our police officers are doing at the moment. We want police officers who are currently doing office work in the stations— Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Armadale! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The trouble is, Mr Speaker, that the opposition is not interested in the truth. It is not interested in law and order. The Labor Party did not take law and order seriously; it did not take drugs seriously. It does not take anything seriously. It deserves to be where it is, and it will be there for a very long time.
Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : These are all real cops; they are all real police officers. They are not robots, dummies or mannequins. They are real police officers, but the important point is — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mrs M.H. Roberts : You live and breathe; it doesn’t make you a minister! Mr M.P. Whitely : He’s seen Police Academy ! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : That is very nasty. Mr Speaker, you can see how hurtful some of the comments from those opposite can be! They really cut to the quick; they really do! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members to my left! Member for Willagee! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The 350 and 150 auxiliary officers are what the Commissioner for Police asked for. He is in charge of all operational issues, and he was over the moon about the fact that the government had actually agreed to the 350 and 150 additional officers. Do members know why? It is because it gives him more flexibility. I am sure that the former police minister will acknowledge that the commissioner needs that flexibility. Mr J.C. Kobelke : They’re not taking blue shirts and turning them into something else. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : There will be blue shirts. Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I will tell members. They will be carrying out police duties. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! I urge the minister to get to the nub of his answer, and I formally call to order the member for Bassendean for the second time, and the member for Perth for the first time. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : These 150 auxiliary police officers will be doing many of the jobs that fully trained and fully sworn police officers are doing at the moment. Approximately 40 police officers have been relinquished from the lockup in Perth to perform front-line duties. They have been replaced by custodial officers—blue shirts—who will be sworn in as special constables. The 150 extra auxiliary officers— Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be trained; of course they will. Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Of course they will not. They will be taking over a lot of the work that our police officers are doing at the moment. We want police officers who are currently doing office work in the stations— Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Armadale! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The trouble is, Mr Speaker, that the opposition is not interested in the truth. It is not interested in law and order. The Labor Party did not take law and order seriously; it did not take drugs seriously. It does not take anything seriously. It deserves to be where it is, and it will be there for a very long time.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : These are all real cops; they are all real police officers. They are not robots, dummies or mannequins. They are real police officers, but the important point is — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mrs M.H. Roberts : You live and breathe; it doesn’t make you a minister! Mr M.P. Whitely : He’s seen Police Academy ! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : That is very nasty. Mr Speaker, you can see how hurtful some of the comments from those opposite can be! They really cut to the quick; they really do! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members to my left! Member for Willagee! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The 350 and 150 auxiliary officers are what the Commissioner for Police asked for. He is in charge of all operational issues, and he was over the moon about the fact that the government had actually agreed to the 350 and 150 additional officers. Do members know why? It is because it gives him more flexibility. I am sure that the former police minister will acknowledge that the commissioner needs that flexibility. Mr J.C. Kobelke : They’re not taking blue shirts and turning them into something else. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : There will be blue shirts. Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I will tell members. They will be carrying out police duties. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! I urge the minister to get to the nub of his answer, and I formally call to order the member for Bassendean for the second time, and the member for Perth for the first time. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : These 150 auxiliary police officers will be doing many of the jobs that fully trained and fully sworn police officers are doing at the moment. Approximately 40 police officers have been relinquished from the lockup in Perth to perform front-line duties. They have been replaced by custodial officers—blue shirts—who will be sworn in as special constables. The 150 extra auxiliary officers— Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be trained; of course they will. Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Of course they will not. They will be taking over a lot of the work that our police officers are doing at the moment. We want police officers who are currently doing office work in the stations— Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Armadale! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The trouble is, Mr Speaker, that the opposition is not interested in the truth. It is not interested in law and order. The Labor Party did not take law and order seriously; it did not take drugs seriously. It does not take anything seriously. It deserves to be where it is, and it will be there for a very long time.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mrs M.H. Roberts : You live and breathe; it doesn’t make you a minister! Mr M.P. Whitely : He’s seen Police Academy ! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : That is very nasty. Mr Speaker, you can see how hurtful some of the comments from those opposite can be! They really cut to the quick; they really do! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members to my left! Member for Willagee! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The 350 and 150 auxiliary officers are what the Commissioner for Police asked for. He is in charge of all operational issues, and he was over the moon about the fact that the government had actually agreed to the 350 and 150 additional officers. Do members know why? It is because it gives him more flexibility. I am sure that the former police minister will acknowledge that the commissioner needs that flexibility. Mr J.C. Kobelke : They’re not taking blue shirts and turning them into something else. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : There will be blue shirts. Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I will tell members. They will be carrying out police duties. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! I urge the minister to get to the nub of his answer, and I formally call to order the member for Bassendean for the second time, and the member for Perth for the first time. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : These 150 auxiliary police officers will be doing many of the jobs that fully trained and fully sworn police officers are doing at the moment. Approximately 40 police officers have been relinquished from the lockup in Perth to perform front-line duties. They have been replaced by custodial officers—blue shirts—who will be sworn in as special constables. The 150 extra auxiliary officers— Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be trained; of course they will. Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Of course they will not. They will be taking over a lot of the work that our police officers are doing at the moment. We want police officers who are currently doing office work in the stations— Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Armadale! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The trouble is, Mr Speaker, that the opposition is not interested in the truth. It is not interested in law and order. The Labor Party did not take law and order seriously; it did not take drugs seriously. It does not take anything seriously. It deserves to be where it is, and it will be there for a very long time.
The SPEAKER : Members! Mrs M.H. Roberts : You live and breathe; it doesn’t make you a minister! Mr M.P. Whitely : He’s seen Police Academy ! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : That is very nasty. Mr Speaker, you can see how hurtful some of the comments from those opposite can be! They really cut to the quick; they really do! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members to my left! Member for Willagee! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The 350 and 150 auxiliary officers are what the Commissioner for Police asked for. He is in charge of all operational issues, and he was over the moon about the fact that the government had actually agreed to the 350 and 150 additional officers. Do members know why? It is because it gives him more flexibility. I am sure that the former police minister will acknowledge that the commissioner needs that flexibility. Mr J.C. Kobelke : They’re not taking blue shirts and turning them into something else. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : There will be blue shirts. Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I will tell members. They will be carrying out police duties. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! I urge the minister to get to the nub of his answer, and I formally call to order the member for Bassendean for the second time, and the member for Perth for the first time. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : These 150 auxiliary police officers will be doing many of the jobs that fully trained and fully sworn police officers are doing at the moment. Approximately 40 police officers have been relinquished from the lockup in Perth to perform front-line duties. They have been replaced by custodial officers—blue shirts—who will be sworn in as special constables. The 150 extra auxiliary officers— Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be trained; of course they will. Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Of course they will not. They will be taking over a lot of the work that our police officers are doing at the moment. We want police officers who are currently doing office work in the stations— Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Armadale! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The trouble is, Mr Speaker, that the opposition is not interested in the truth. It is not interested in law and order. The Labor Party did not take law and order seriously; it did not take drugs seriously. It does not take anything seriously. It deserves to be where it is, and it will be there for a very long time.
Mrs M.H. Roberts : You live and breathe; it doesn’t make you a minister! Mr M.P. Whitely : He’s seen Police Academy ! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : That is very nasty. Mr Speaker, you can see how hurtful some of the comments from those opposite can be! They really cut to the quick; they really do! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members to my left! Member for Willagee! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The 350 and 150 auxiliary officers are what the Commissioner for Police asked for. He is in charge of all operational issues, and he was over the moon about the fact that the government had actually agreed to the 350 and 150 additional officers. Do members know why? It is because it gives him more flexibility. I am sure that the former police minister will acknowledge that the commissioner needs that flexibility. Mr J.C. Kobelke : They’re not taking blue shirts and turning them into something else. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : There will be blue shirts. Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I will tell members. They will be carrying out police duties. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! I urge the minister to get to the nub of his answer, and I formally call to order the member for Bassendean for the second time, and the member for Perth for the first time. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : These 150 auxiliary police officers will be doing many of the jobs that fully trained and fully sworn police officers are doing at the moment. Approximately 40 police officers have been relinquished from the lockup in Perth to perform front-line duties. They have been replaced by custodial officers—blue shirts—who will be sworn in as special constables. The 150 extra auxiliary officers— Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be trained; of course they will. Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Of course they will not. They will be taking over a lot of the work that our police officers are doing at the moment. We want police officers who are currently doing office work in the stations— Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Armadale! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The trouble is, Mr Speaker, that the opposition is not interested in the truth. It is not interested in law and order. The Labor Party did not take law and order seriously; it did not take drugs seriously. It does not take anything seriously. It deserves to be where it is, and it will be there for a very long time.
Mr M.P. Whitely : He’s seen Police Academy ! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : That is very nasty. Mr Speaker, you can see how hurtful some of the comments from those opposite can be! They really cut to the quick; they really do! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members to my left! Member for Willagee! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The 350 and 150 auxiliary officers are what the Commissioner for Police asked for. He is in charge of all operational issues, and he was over the moon about the fact that the government had actually agreed to the 350 and 150 additional officers. Do members know why? It is because it gives him more flexibility. I am sure that the former police minister will acknowledge that the commissioner needs that flexibility. Mr J.C. Kobelke : They’re not taking blue shirts and turning them into something else. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : There will be blue shirts. Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I will tell members. They will be carrying out police duties. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! I urge the minister to get to the nub of his answer, and I formally call to order the member for Bassendean for the second time, and the member for Perth for the first time. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : These 150 auxiliary police officers will be doing many of the jobs that fully trained and fully sworn police officers are doing at the moment. Approximately 40 police officers have been relinquished from the lockup in Perth to perform front-line duties. They have been replaced by custodial officers—blue shirts—who will be sworn in as special constables. The 150 extra auxiliary officers— Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be trained; of course they will. Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Of course they will not. They will be taking over a lot of the work that our police officers are doing at the moment. We want police officers who are currently doing office work in the stations— Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Armadale! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The trouble is, Mr Speaker, that the opposition is not interested in the truth. It is not interested in law and order. The Labor Party did not take law and order seriously; it did not take drugs seriously. It does not take anything seriously. It deserves to be where it is, and it will be there for a very long time.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : That is very nasty. Mr Speaker, you can see how hurtful some of the comments from those opposite can be! They really cut to the quick; they really do! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members to my left! Member for Willagee! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The 350 and 150 auxiliary officers are what the Commissioner for Police asked for. He is in charge of all operational issues, and he was over the moon about the fact that the government had actually agreed to the 350 and 150 additional officers. Do members know why? It is because it gives him more flexibility. I am sure that the former police minister will acknowledge that the commissioner needs that flexibility. Mr J.C. Kobelke : They’re not taking blue shirts and turning them into something else. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : There will be blue shirts. Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I will tell members. They will be carrying out police duties. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! I urge the minister to get to the nub of his answer, and I formally call to order the member for Bassendean for the second time, and the member for Perth for the first time. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : These 150 auxiliary police officers will be doing many of the jobs that fully trained and fully sworn police officers are doing at the moment. Approximately 40 police officers have been relinquished from the lockup in Perth to perform front-line duties. They have been replaced by custodial officers—blue shirts—who will be sworn in as special constables. The 150 extra auxiliary officers— Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be trained; of course they will. Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Of course they will not. They will be taking over a lot of the work that our police officers are doing at the moment. We want police officers who are currently doing office work in the stations— Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Armadale! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The trouble is, Mr Speaker, that the opposition is not interested in the truth. It is not interested in law and order. The Labor Party did not take law and order seriously; it did not take drugs seriously. It does not take anything seriously. It deserves to be where it is, and it will be there for a very long time.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members to my left! Member for Willagee! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The 350 and 150 auxiliary officers are what the Commissioner for Police asked for. He is in charge of all operational issues, and he was over the moon about the fact that the government had actually agreed to the 350 and 150 additional officers. Do members know why? It is because it gives him more flexibility. I am sure that the former police minister will acknowledge that the commissioner needs that flexibility. Mr J.C. Kobelke : They’re not taking blue shirts and turning them into something else. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : There will be blue shirts. Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I will tell members. They will be carrying out police duties. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! I urge the minister to get to the nub of his answer, and I formally call to order the member for Bassendean for the second time, and the member for Perth for the first time. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : These 150 auxiliary police officers will be doing many of the jobs that fully trained and fully sworn police officers are doing at the moment. Approximately 40 police officers have been relinquished from the lockup in Perth to perform front-line duties. They have been replaced by custodial officers—blue shirts—who will be sworn in as special constables. The 150 extra auxiliary officers— Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be trained; of course they will. Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Of course they will not. They will be taking over a lot of the work that our police officers are doing at the moment. We want police officers who are currently doing office work in the stations— Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Armadale! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The trouble is, Mr Speaker, that the opposition is not interested in the truth. It is not interested in law and order. The Labor Party did not take law and order seriously; it did not take drugs seriously. It does not take anything seriously. It deserves to be where it is, and it will be there for a very long time.
The SPEAKER : Members to my left! Member for Willagee! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The 350 and 150 auxiliary officers are what the Commissioner for Police asked for. He is in charge of all operational issues, and he was over the moon about the fact that the government had actually agreed to the 350 and 150 additional officers. Do members know why? It is because it gives him more flexibility. I am sure that the former police minister will acknowledge that the commissioner needs that flexibility. Mr J.C. Kobelke : They’re not taking blue shirts and turning them into something else. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : There will be blue shirts. Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I will tell members. They will be carrying out police duties. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! I urge the minister to get to the nub of his answer, and I formally call to order the member for Bassendean for the second time, and the member for Perth for the first time. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : These 150 auxiliary police officers will be doing many of the jobs that fully trained and fully sworn police officers are doing at the moment. Approximately 40 police officers have been relinquished from the lockup in Perth to perform front-line duties. They have been replaced by custodial officers—blue shirts—who will be sworn in as special constables. The 150 extra auxiliary officers— Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be trained; of course they will. Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Of course they will not. They will be taking over a lot of the work that our police officers are doing at the moment. We want police officers who are currently doing office work in the stations— Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Armadale! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The trouble is, Mr Speaker, that the opposition is not interested in the truth. It is not interested in law and order. The Labor Party did not take law and order seriously; it did not take drugs seriously. It does not take anything seriously. It deserves to be where it is, and it will be there for a very long time.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The 350 and 150 auxiliary officers are what the Commissioner for Police asked for. He is in charge of all operational issues, and he was over the moon about the fact that the government had actually agreed to the 350 and 150 additional officers. Do members know why? It is because it gives him more flexibility. I am sure that the former police minister will acknowledge that the commissioner needs that flexibility. Mr J.C. Kobelke : They’re not taking blue shirts and turning them into something else. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : There will be blue shirts. Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I will tell members. They will be carrying out police duties. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! I urge the minister to get to the nub of his answer, and I formally call to order the member for Bassendean for the second time, and the member for Perth for the first time. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : These 150 auxiliary police officers will be doing many of the jobs that fully trained and fully sworn police officers are doing at the moment. Approximately 40 police officers have been relinquished from the lockup in Perth to perform front-line duties. They have been replaced by custodial officers—blue shirts—who will be sworn in as special constables. The 150 extra auxiliary officers— Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be trained; of course they will. Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Of course they will not. They will be taking over a lot of the work that our police officers are doing at the moment. We want police officers who are currently doing office work in the stations— Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Armadale! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The trouble is, Mr Speaker, that the opposition is not interested in the truth. It is not interested in law and order. The Labor Party did not take law and order seriously; it did not take drugs seriously. It does not take anything seriously. It deserves to be where it is, and it will be there for a very long time.
Mr J.C. Kobelke : They’re not taking blue shirts and turning them into something else. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : There will be blue shirts. Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I will tell members. They will be carrying out police duties. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! I urge the minister to get to the nub of his answer, and I formally call to order the member for Bassendean for the second time, and the member for Perth for the first time. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : These 150 auxiliary police officers will be doing many of the jobs that fully trained and fully sworn police officers are doing at the moment. Approximately 40 police officers have been relinquished from the lockup in Perth to perform front-line duties. They have been replaced by custodial officers—blue shirts—who will be sworn in as special constables. The 150 extra auxiliary officers— Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be trained; of course they will. Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Of course they will not. They will be taking over a lot of the work that our police officers are doing at the moment. We want police officers who are currently doing office work in the stations— Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Armadale! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The trouble is, Mr Speaker, that the opposition is not interested in the truth. It is not interested in law and order. The Labor Party did not take law and order seriously; it did not take drugs seriously. It does not take anything seriously. It deserves to be where it is, and it will be there for a very long time.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : There will be blue shirts. Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I will tell members. They will be carrying out police duties. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! I urge the minister to get to the nub of his answer, and I formally call to order the member for Bassendean for the second time, and the member for Perth for the first time. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : These 150 auxiliary police officers will be doing many of the jobs that fully trained and fully sworn police officers are doing at the moment. Approximately 40 police officers have been relinquished from the lockup in Perth to perform front-line duties. They have been replaced by custodial officers—blue shirts—who will be sworn in as special constables. The 150 extra auxiliary officers— Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be trained; of course they will. Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Of course they will not. They will be taking over a lot of the work that our police officers are doing at the moment. We want police officers who are currently doing office work in the stations— Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Armadale! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The trouble is, Mr Speaker, that the opposition is not interested in the truth. It is not interested in law and order. The Labor Party did not take law and order seriously; it did not take drugs seriously. It does not take anything seriously. It deserves to be where it is, and it will be there for a very long time.
Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I will tell members. They will be carrying out police duties. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! I urge the minister to get to the nub of his answer, and I formally call to order the member for Bassendean for the second time, and the member for Perth for the first time. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : These 150 auxiliary police officers will be doing many of the jobs that fully trained and fully sworn police officers are doing at the moment. Approximately 40 police officers have been relinquished from the lockup in Perth to perform front-line duties. They have been replaced by custodial officers—blue shirts—who will be sworn in as special constables. The 150 extra auxiliary officers— Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be trained; of course they will. Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Of course they will not. They will be taking over a lot of the work that our police officers are doing at the moment. We want police officers who are currently doing office work in the stations— Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Armadale! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The trouble is, Mr Speaker, that the opposition is not interested in the truth. It is not interested in law and order. The Labor Party did not take law and order seriously; it did not take drugs seriously. It does not take anything seriously. It deserves to be where it is, and it will be there for a very long time.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I will tell members. They will be carrying out police duties. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! I urge the minister to get to the nub of his answer, and I formally call to order the member for Bassendean for the second time, and the member for Perth for the first time. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : These 150 auxiliary police officers will be doing many of the jobs that fully trained and fully sworn police officers are doing at the moment. Approximately 40 police officers have been relinquished from the lockup in Perth to perform front-line duties. They have been replaced by custodial officers—blue shirts—who will be sworn in as special constables. The 150 extra auxiliary officers— Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be trained; of course they will. Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Of course they will not. They will be taking over a lot of the work that our police officers are doing at the moment. We want police officers who are currently doing office work in the stations— Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Armadale! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The trouble is, Mr Speaker, that the opposition is not interested in the truth. It is not interested in law and order. The Labor Party did not take law and order seriously; it did not take drugs seriously. It does not take anything seriously. It deserves to be where it is, and it will be there for a very long time.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! I urge the minister to get to the nub of his answer, and I formally call to order the member for Bassendean for the second time, and the member for Perth for the first time. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : These 150 auxiliary police officers will be doing many of the jobs that fully trained and fully sworn police officers are doing at the moment. Approximately 40 police officers have been relinquished from the lockup in Perth to perform front-line duties. They have been replaced by custodial officers—blue shirts—who will be sworn in as special constables. The 150 extra auxiliary officers— Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be trained; of course they will. Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Of course they will not. They will be taking over a lot of the work that our police officers are doing at the moment. We want police officers who are currently doing office work in the stations— Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Armadale! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The trouble is, Mr Speaker, that the opposition is not interested in the truth. It is not interested in law and order. The Labor Party did not take law and order seriously; it did not take drugs seriously. It does not take anything seriously. It deserves to be where it is, and it will be there for a very long time.
The SPEAKER : Members! I urge the minister to get to the nub of his answer, and I formally call to order the member for Bassendean for the second time, and the member for Perth for the first time. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : These 150 auxiliary police officers will be doing many of the jobs that fully trained and fully sworn police officers are doing at the moment. Approximately 40 police officers have been relinquished from the lockup in Perth to perform front-line duties. They have been replaced by custodial officers—blue shirts—who will be sworn in as special constables. The 150 extra auxiliary officers— Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be trained; of course they will. Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Of course they will not. They will be taking over a lot of the work that our police officers are doing at the moment. We want police officers who are currently doing office work in the stations— Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Armadale! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The trouble is, Mr Speaker, that the opposition is not interested in the truth. It is not interested in law and order. The Labor Party did not take law and order seriously; it did not take drugs seriously. It does not take anything seriously. It deserves to be where it is, and it will be there for a very long time.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : These 150 auxiliary police officers will be doing many of the jobs that fully trained and fully sworn police officers are doing at the moment. Approximately 40 police officers have been relinquished from the lockup in Perth to perform front-line duties. They have been replaced by custodial officers—blue shirts—who will be sworn in as special constables. The 150 extra auxiliary officers— Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be trained; of course they will. Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Of course they will not. They will be taking over a lot of the work that our police officers are doing at the moment. We want police officers who are currently doing office work in the stations— Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Armadale! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The trouble is, Mr Speaker, that the opposition is not interested in the truth. It is not interested in law and order. The Labor Party did not take law and order seriously; it did not take drugs seriously. It does not take anything seriously. It deserves to be where it is, and it will be there for a very long time.
Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be trained; of course they will. Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Of course they will not. They will be taking over a lot of the work that our police officers are doing at the moment. We want police officers who are currently doing office work in the stations— Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Armadale! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The trouble is, Mr Speaker, that the opposition is not interested in the truth. It is not interested in law and order. The Labor Party did not take law and order seriously; it did not take drugs seriously. It does not take anything seriously. It deserves to be where it is, and it will be there for a very long time.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be trained; of course they will. Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Of course they will not. They will be taking over a lot of the work that our police officers are doing at the moment. We want police officers who are currently doing office work in the stations— Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Armadale! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The trouble is, Mr Speaker, that the opposition is not interested in the truth. It is not interested in law and order. The Labor Party did not take law and order seriously; it did not take drugs seriously. It does not take anything seriously. It deserves to be where it is, and it will be there for a very long time.
Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Of course they will not. They will be taking over a lot of the work that our police officers are doing at the moment. We want police officers who are currently doing office work in the stations— Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Armadale! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The trouble is, Mr Speaker, that the opposition is not interested in the truth. It is not interested in law and order. The Labor Party did not take law and order seriously; it did not take drugs seriously. It does not take anything seriously. It deserves to be where it is, and it will be there for a very long time.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Of course they will not. They will be taking over a lot of the work that our police officers are doing at the moment. We want police officers who are currently doing office work in the stations— Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Armadale! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The trouble is, Mr Speaker, that the opposition is not interested in the truth. It is not interested in law and order. The Labor Party did not take law and order seriously; it did not take drugs seriously. It does not take anything seriously. It deserves to be where it is, and it will be there for a very long time.
Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Armadale! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The trouble is, Mr Speaker, that the opposition is not interested in the truth. It is not interested in law and order. The Labor Party did not take law and order seriously; it did not take drugs seriously. It does not take anything seriously. It deserves to be where it is, and it will be there for a very long time.
The SPEAKER : Member for Armadale! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The trouble is, Mr Speaker, that the opposition is not interested in the truth. It is not interested in law and order. The Labor Party did not take law and order seriously; it did not take drugs seriously. It does not take anything seriously. It deserves to be where it is, and it will be there for a very long time.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The trouble is, Mr Speaker, that the opposition is not interested in the truth. It is not interested in law and order. The Labor Party did not take law and order seriously; it did not take drugs seriously. It does not take anything seriously. It deserves to be where it is, and it will be there for a very long time.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Some people take a little while to learn. The question is not about the electorate of the member for North West. I call him formally for the first time. Mr R.F. JOHNSON replied: I thank the member for the question and acknowledge his very keen interest in law and order issues, not only in his own electorate but also throughout Western Australia. The crux of the question is to do with additional policing and the 500 extra police officers that the government promised and will provide. I will explain the mix. There will be 500 extra police officers; 350 of them — Ms M.M. Quirk : Have they got the same powers? The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen! Ms M.M. Quirk : Have you lied to the Western Australian public? The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, that is not appropriate. I call you formally for the first time. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The member for Girrawheen suggested that I had lied. That is unparliamentary, but I have become used to her tirades and I expect them. Last night she spent an entire half an hour personally attacking me as Minister for Police. If I were a sensitive person, I would be most hurt! I was astounded by the arrogance and ignorance of the shadow minister, because she seems to think that she knows more about operational police matters than the commissioner does. Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : These are all real cops; they are all real police officers. They are not robots, dummies or mannequins. They are real police officers, but the important point is — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mrs M.H. Roberts : You live and breathe; it doesn’t make you a minister! Mr M.P. Whitely : He’s seen Police Academy ! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : That is very nasty. Mr Speaker, you can see how hurtful some of the comments from those opposite can be! They really cut to the quick; they really do! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members to my left! Member for Willagee! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The 350 and 150 auxiliary officers are what the Commissioner for Police asked for. He is in charge of all operational issues, and he was over the moon about the fact that the government had actually agreed to the 350 and 150 additional officers. Do members know why? It is because it gives him more flexibility. I am sure that the former police minister will acknowledge that the commissioner needs that flexibility. Mr J.C. Kobelke : They’re not taking blue shirts and turning them into something else. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : There will be blue shirts. Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I will tell members. They will be carrying out police duties. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! I urge the minister to get to the nub of his answer, and I formally call to order the member for Bassendean for the second time, and the member for Perth for the first time. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : These 150 auxiliary police officers will be doing many of the jobs that fully trained and fully sworn police officers are doing at the moment. Approximately 40 police officers have been relinquished from the lockup in Perth to perform front-line duties. They have been replaced by custodial officers—blue shirts—who will be sworn in as special constables. The 150 extra auxiliary officers— Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be trained; of course they will. Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Of course they will not. They will be taking over a lot of the work that our police officers are doing at the moment. We want police officers who are currently doing office work in the stations— Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Armadale! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The trouble is, Mr Speaker, that the opposition is not interested in the truth. It is not interested in law and order. The Labor Party did not take law and order seriously; it did not take drugs seriously. It does not take anything seriously. It deserves to be where it is, and it will be there for a very long time.
The SPEAKER : Some people take a little while to learn. The question is not about the electorate of the member for North West. I call him formally for the first time. Mr R.F. JOHNSON replied: I thank the member for the question and acknowledge his very keen interest in law and order issues, not only in his own electorate but also throughout Western Australia. The crux of the question is to do with additional policing and the 500 extra police officers that the government promised and will provide. I will explain the mix. There will be 500 extra police officers; 350 of them — Ms M.M. Quirk : Have they got the same powers? The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen! Ms M.M. Quirk : Have you lied to the Western Australian public? The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, that is not appropriate. I call you formally for the first time. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The member for Girrawheen suggested that I had lied. That is unparliamentary, but I have become used to her tirades and I expect them. Last night she spent an entire half an hour personally attacking me as Minister for Police. If I were a sensitive person, I would be most hurt! I was astounded by the arrogance and ignorance of the shadow minister, because she seems to think that she knows more about operational police matters than the commissioner does. Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : These are all real cops; they are all real police officers. They are not robots, dummies or mannequins. They are real police officers, but the important point is — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mrs M.H. Roberts : You live and breathe; it doesn’t make you a minister! Mr M.P. Whitely : He’s seen Police Academy ! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : That is very nasty. Mr Speaker, you can see how hurtful some of the comments from those opposite can be! They really cut to the quick; they really do! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members to my left! Member for Willagee! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The 350 and 150 auxiliary officers are what the Commissioner for Police asked for. He is in charge of all operational issues, and he was over the moon about the fact that the government had actually agreed to the 350 and 150 additional officers. Do members know why? It is because it gives him more flexibility. I am sure that the former police minister will acknowledge that the commissioner needs that flexibility. Mr J.C. Kobelke : They’re not taking blue shirts and turning them into something else. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : There will be blue shirts. Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I will tell members. They will be carrying out police duties. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! I urge the minister to get to the nub of his answer, and I formally call to order the member for Bassendean for the second time, and the member for Perth for the first time. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : These 150 auxiliary police officers will be doing many of the jobs that fully trained and fully sworn police officers are doing at the moment. Approximately 40 police officers have been relinquished from the lockup in Perth to perform front-line duties. They have been replaced by custodial officers—blue shirts—who will be sworn in as special constables. The 150 extra auxiliary officers— Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be trained; of course they will. Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Of course they will not. They will be taking over a lot of the work that our police officers are doing at the moment. We want police officers who are currently doing office work in the stations— Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Armadale! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The trouble is, Mr Speaker, that the opposition is not interested in the truth. It is not interested in law and order. The Labor Party did not take law and order seriously; it did not take drugs seriously. It does not take anything seriously. It deserves to be where it is, and it will be there for a very long time.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON replied: I thank the member for the question and acknowledge his very keen interest in law and order issues, not only in his own electorate but also throughout Western Australia. The crux of the question is to do with additional policing and the 500 extra police officers that the government promised and will provide. I will explain the mix. There will be 500 extra police officers; 350 of them — Ms M.M. Quirk : Have they got the same powers? The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen! Ms M.M. Quirk : Have you lied to the Western Australian public? The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, that is not appropriate. I call you formally for the first time. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The member for Girrawheen suggested that I had lied. That is unparliamentary, but I have become used to her tirades and I expect them. Last night she spent an entire half an hour personally attacking me as Minister for Police. If I were a sensitive person, I would be most hurt! I was astounded by the arrogance and ignorance of the shadow minister, because she seems to think that she knows more about operational police matters than the commissioner does. Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : These are all real cops; they are all real police officers. They are not robots, dummies or mannequins. They are real police officers, but the important point is — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mrs M.H. Roberts : You live and breathe; it doesn’t make you a minister! Mr M.P. Whitely : He’s seen Police Academy ! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : That is very nasty. Mr Speaker, you can see how hurtful some of the comments from those opposite can be! They really cut to the quick; they really do! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members to my left! Member for Willagee! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The 350 and 150 auxiliary officers are what the Commissioner for Police asked for. He is in charge of all operational issues, and he was over the moon about the fact that the government had actually agreed to the 350 and 150 additional officers. Do members know why? It is because it gives him more flexibility. I am sure that the former police minister will acknowledge that the commissioner needs that flexibility. Mr J.C. Kobelke : They’re not taking blue shirts and turning them into something else. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : There will be blue shirts. Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I will tell members. They will be carrying out police duties. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! I urge the minister to get to the nub of his answer, and I formally call to order the member for Bassendean for the second time, and the member for Perth for the first time. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : These 150 auxiliary police officers will be doing many of the jobs that fully trained and fully sworn police officers are doing at the moment. Approximately 40 police officers have been relinquished from the lockup in Perth to perform front-line duties. They have been replaced by custodial officers—blue shirts—who will be sworn in as special constables. The 150 extra auxiliary officers— Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be trained; of course they will. Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Of course they will not. They will be taking over a lot of the work that our police officers are doing at the moment. We want police officers who are currently doing office work in the stations— Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Armadale! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The trouble is, Mr Speaker, that the opposition is not interested in the truth. It is not interested in law and order. The Labor Party did not take law and order seriously; it did not take drugs seriously. It does not take anything seriously. It deserves to be where it is, and it will be there for a very long time.
I thank the member for the question and acknowledge his very keen interest in law and order issues, not only in his own electorate but also throughout Western Australia. The crux of the question is to do with additional policing and the 500 extra police officers that the government promised and will provide. I will explain the mix. There will be 500 extra police officers; 350 of them — Ms M.M. Quirk : Have they got the same powers? The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen! Ms M.M. Quirk : Have you lied to the Western Australian public? The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, that is not appropriate. I call you formally for the first time. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The member for Girrawheen suggested that I had lied. That is unparliamentary, but I have become used to her tirades and I expect them. Last night she spent an entire half an hour personally attacking me as Minister for Police. If I were a sensitive person, I would be most hurt! I was astounded by the arrogance and ignorance of the shadow minister, because she seems to think that she knows more about operational police matters than the commissioner does. Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : These are all real cops; they are all real police officers. They are not robots, dummies or mannequins. They are real police officers, but the important point is — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mrs M.H. Roberts : You live and breathe; it doesn’t make you a minister! Mr M.P. Whitely : He’s seen Police Academy ! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : That is very nasty. Mr Speaker, you can see how hurtful some of the comments from those opposite can be! They really cut to the quick; they really do! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members to my left! Member for Willagee! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The 350 and 150 auxiliary officers are what the Commissioner for Police asked for. He is in charge of all operational issues, and he was over the moon about the fact that the government had actually agreed to the 350 and 150 additional officers. Do members know why? It is because it gives him more flexibility. I am sure that the former police minister will acknowledge that the commissioner needs that flexibility. Mr J.C. Kobelke : They’re not taking blue shirts and turning them into something else. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : There will be blue shirts. Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I will tell members. They will be carrying out police duties. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! I urge the minister to get to the nub of his answer, and I formally call to order the member for Bassendean for the second time, and the member for Perth for the first time. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : These 150 auxiliary police officers will be doing many of the jobs that fully trained and fully sworn police officers are doing at the moment. Approximately 40 police officers have been relinquished from the lockup in Perth to perform front-line duties. They have been replaced by custodial officers—blue shirts—who will be sworn in as special constables. The 150 extra auxiliary officers— Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be trained; of course they will. Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Of course they will not. They will be taking over a lot of the work that our police officers are doing at the moment. We want police officers who are currently doing office work in the stations— Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Armadale! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The trouble is, Mr Speaker, that the opposition is not interested in the truth. It is not interested in law and order. The Labor Party did not take law and order seriously; it did not take drugs seriously. It does not take anything seriously. It deserves to be where it is, and it will be there for a very long time.
Ms M.M. Quirk : Have they got the same powers? The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen! Ms M.M. Quirk : Have you lied to the Western Australian public? The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, that is not appropriate. I call you formally for the first time. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The member for Girrawheen suggested that I had lied. That is unparliamentary, but I have become used to her tirades and I expect them. Last night she spent an entire half an hour personally attacking me as Minister for Police. If I were a sensitive person, I would be most hurt! I was astounded by the arrogance and ignorance of the shadow minister, because she seems to think that she knows more about operational police matters than the commissioner does. Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : These are all real cops; they are all real police officers. They are not robots, dummies or mannequins. They are real police officers, but the important point is — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mrs M.H. Roberts : You live and breathe; it doesn’t make you a minister! Mr M.P. Whitely : He’s seen Police Academy ! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : That is very nasty. Mr Speaker, you can see how hurtful some of the comments from those opposite can be! They really cut to the quick; they really do! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members to my left! Member for Willagee! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The 350 and 150 auxiliary officers are what the Commissioner for Police asked for. He is in charge of all operational issues, and he was over the moon about the fact that the government had actually agreed to the 350 and 150 additional officers. Do members know why? It is because it gives him more flexibility. I am sure that the former police minister will acknowledge that the commissioner needs that flexibility. Mr J.C. Kobelke : They’re not taking blue shirts and turning them into something else. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : There will be blue shirts. Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I will tell members. They will be carrying out police duties. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! I urge the minister to get to the nub of his answer, and I formally call to order the member for Bassendean for the second time, and the member for Perth for the first time. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : These 150 auxiliary police officers will be doing many of the jobs that fully trained and fully sworn police officers are doing at the moment. Approximately 40 police officers have been relinquished from the lockup in Perth to perform front-line duties. They have been replaced by custodial officers—blue shirts—who will be sworn in as special constables. The 150 extra auxiliary officers— Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be trained; of course they will. Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Of course they will not. They will be taking over a lot of the work that our police officers are doing at the moment. We want police officers who are currently doing office work in the stations— Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Armadale! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The trouble is, Mr Speaker, that the opposition is not interested in the truth. It is not interested in law and order. The Labor Party did not take law and order seriously; it did not take drugs seriously. It does not take anything seriously. It deserves to be where it is, and it will be there for a very long time.
The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen! Ms M.M. Quirk : Have you lied to the Western Australian public? The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, that is not appropriate. I call you formally for the first time. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The member for Girrawheen suggested that I had lied. That is unparliamentary, but I have become used to her tirades and I expect them. Last night she spent an entire half an hour personally attacking me as Minister for Police. If I were a sensitive person, I would be most hurt! I was astounded by the arrogance and ignorance of the shadow minister, because she seems to think that she knows more about operational police matters than the commissioner does. Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : These are all real cops; they are all real police officers. They are not robots, dummies or mannequins. They are real police officers, but the important point is — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mrs M.H. Roberts : You live and breathe; it doesn’t make you a minister! Mr M.P. Whitely : He’s seen Police Academy ! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : That is very nasty. Mr Speaker, you can see how hurtful some of the comments from those opposite can be! They really cut to the quick; they really do! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members to my left! Member for Willagee! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The 350 and 150 auxiliary officers are what the Commissioner for Police asked for. He is in charge of all operational issues, and he was over the moon about the fact that the government had actually agreed to the 350 and 150 additional officers. Do members know why? It is because it gives him more flexibility. I am sure that the former police minister will acknowledge that the commissioner needs that flexibility. Mr J.C. Kobelke : They’re not taking blue shirts and turning them into something else. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : There will be blue shirts. Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I will tell members. They will be carrying out police duties. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! I urge the minister to get to the nub of his answer, and I formally call to order the member for Bassendean for the second time, and the member for Perth for the first time. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : These 150 auxiliary police officers will be doing many of the jobs that fully trained and fully sworn police officers are doing at the moment. Approximately 40 police officers have been relinquished from the lockup in Perth to perform front-line duties. They have been replaced by custodial officers—blue shirts—who will be sworn in as special constables. The 150 extra auxiliary officers— Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be trained; of course they will. Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Of course they will not. They will be taking over a lot of the work that our police officers are doing at the moment. We want police officers who are currently doing office work in the stations— Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Armadale! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The trouble is, Mr Speaker, that the opposition is not interested in the truth. It is not interested in law and order. The Labor Party did not take law and order seriously; it did not take drugs seriously. It does not take anything seriously. It deserves to be where it is, and it will be there for a very long time.
Ms M.M. Quirk : Have you lied to the Western Australian public? The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, that is not appropriate. I call you formally for the first time. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The member for Girrawheen suggested that I had lied. That is unparliamentary, but I have become used to her tirades and I expect them. Last night she spent an entire half an hour personally attacking me as Minister for Police. If I were a sensitive person, I would be most hurt! I was astounded by the arrogance and ignorance of the shadow minister, because she seems to think that she knows more about operational police matters than the commissioner does. Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : These are all real cops; they are all real police officers. They are not robots, dummies or mannequins. They are real police officers, but the important point is — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mrs M.H. Roberts : You live and breathe; it doesn’t make you a minister! Mr M.P. Whitely : He’s seen Police Academy ! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : That is very nasty. Mr Speaker, you can see how hurtful some of the comments from those opposite can be! They really cut to the quick; they really do! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members to my left! Member for Willagee! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The 350 and 150 auxiliary officers are what the Commissioner for Police asked for. He is in charge of all operational issues, and he was over the moon about the fact that the government had actually agreed to the 350 and 150 additional officers. Do members know why? It is because it gives him more flexibility. I am sure that the former police minister will acknowledge that the commissioner needs that flexibility. Mr J.C. Kobelke : They’re not taking blue shirts and turning them into something else. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : There will be blue shirts. Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I will tell members. They will be carrying out police duties. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! I urge the minister to get to the nub of his answer, and I formally call to order the member for Bassendean for the second time, and the member for Perth for the first time. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : These 150 auxiliary police officers will be doing many of the jobs that fully trained and fully sworn police officers are doing at the moment. Approximately 40 police officers have been relinquished from the lockup in Perth to perform front-line duties. They have been replaced by custodial officers—blue shirts—who will be sworn in as special constables. The 150 extra auxiliary officers— Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be trained; of course they will. Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Of course they will not. They will be taking over a lot of the work that our police officers are doing at the moment. We want police officers who are currently doing office work in the stations— Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Armadale! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The trouble is, Mr Speaker, that the opposition is not interested in the truth. It is not interested in law and order. The Labor Party did not take law and order seriously; it did not take drugs seriously. It does not take anything seriously. It deserves to be where it is, and it will be there for a very long time.
The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, that is not appropriate. I call you formally for the first time. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The member for Girrawheen suggested that I had lied. That is unparliamentary, but I have become used to her tirades and I expect them. Last night she spent an entire half an hour personally attacking me as Minister for Police. If I were a sensitive person, I would be most hurt! I was astounded by the arrogance and ignorance of the shadow minister, because she seems to think that she knows more about operational police matters than the commissioner does. Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : These are all real cops; they are all real police officers. They are not robots, dummies or mannequins. They are real police officers, but the important point is — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mrs M.H. Roberts : You live and breathe; it doesn’t make you a minister! Mr M.P. Whitely : He’s seen Police Academy ! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : That is very nasty. Mr Speaker, you can see how hurtful some of the comments from those opposite can be! They really cut to the quick; they really do! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members to my left! Member for Willagee! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The 350 and 150 auxiliary officers are what the Commissioner for Police asked for. He is in charge of all operational issues, and he was over the moon about the fact that the government had actually agreed to the 350 and 150 additional officers. Do members know why? It is because it gives him more flexibility. I am sure that the former police minister will acknowledge that the commissioner needs that flexibility. Mr J.C. Kobelke : They’re not taking blue shirts and turning them into something else. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : There will be blue shirts. Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I will tell members. They will be carrying out police duties. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! I urge the minister to get to the nub of his answer, and I formally call to order the member for Bassendean for the second time, and the member for Perth for the first time. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : These 150 auxiliary police officers will be doing many of the jobs that fully trained and fully sworn police officers are doing at the moment. Approximately 40 police officers have been relinquished from the lockup in Perth to perform front-line duties. They have been replaced by custodial officers—blue shirts—who will be sworn in as special constables. The 150 extra auxiliary officers— Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be trained; of course they will. Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Of course they will not. They will be taking over a lot of the work that our police officers are doing at the moment. We want police officers who are currently doing office work in the stations— Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Armadale! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The trouble is, Mr Speaker, that the opposition is not interested in the truth. It is not interested in law and order. The Labor Party did not take law and order seriously; it did not take drugs seriously. It does not take anything seriously. It deserves to be where it is, and it will be there for a very long time.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The member for Girrawheen suggested that I had lied. That is unparliamentary, but I have become used to her tirades and I expect them. Last night she spent an entire half an hour personally attacking me as Minister for Police. If I were a sensitive person, I would be most hurt! I was astounded by the arrogance and ignorance of the shadow minister, because she seems to think that she knows more about operational police matters than the commissioner does. Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : These are all real cops; they are all real police officers. They are not robots, dummies or mannequins. They are real police officers, but the important point is — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mrs M.H. Roberts : You live and breathe; it doesn’t make you a minister! Mr M.P. Whitely : He’s seen Police Academy ! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : That is very nasty. Mr Speaker, you can see how hurtful some of the comments from those opposite can be! They really cut to the quick; they really do! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members to my left! Member for Willagee! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The 350 and 150 auxiliary officers are what the Commissioner for Police asked for. He is in charge of all operational issues, and he was over the moon about the fact that the government had actually agreed to the 350 and 150 additional officers. Do members know why? It is because it gives him more flexibility. I am sure that the former police minister will acknowledge that the commissioner needs that flexibility. Mr J.C. Kobelke : They’re not taking blue shirts and turning them into something else. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : There will be blue shirts. Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I will tell members. They will be carrying out police duties. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! I urge the minister to get to the nub of his answer, and I formally call to order the member for Bassendean for the second time, and the member for Perth for the first time. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : These 150 auxiliary police officers will be doing many of the jobs that fully trained and fully sworn police officers are doing at the moment. Approximately 40 police officers have been relinquished from the lockup in Perth to perform front-line duties. They have been replaced by custodial officers—blue shirts—who will be sworn in as special constables. The 150 extra auxiliary officers— Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be trained; of course they will. Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Of course they will not. They will be taking over a lot of the work that our police officers are doing at the moment. We want police officers who are currently doing office work in the stations— Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Armadale! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The trouble is, Mr Speaker, that the opposition is not interested in the truth. It is not interested in law and order. The Labor Party did not take law and order seriously; it did not take drugs seriously. It does not take anything seriously. It deserves to be where it is, and it will be there for a very long time.
Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : These are all real cops; they are all real police officers. They are not robots, dummies or mannequins. They are real police officers, but the important point is — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mrs M.H. Roberts : You live and breathe; it doesn’t make you a minister! Mr M.P. Whitely : He’s seen Police Academy ! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : That is very nasty. Mr Speaker, you can see how hurtful some of the comments from those opposite can be! They really cut to the quick; they really do! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members to my left! Member for Willagee! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The 350 and 150 auxiliary officers are what the Commissioner for Police asked for. He is in charge of all operational issues, and he was over the moon about the fact that the government had actually agreed to the 350 and 150 additional officers. Do members know why? It is because it gives him more flexibility. I am sure that the former police minister will acknowledge that the commissioner needs that flexibility. Mr J.C. Kobelke : They’re not taking blue shirts and turning them into something else. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : There will be blue shirts. Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I will tell members. They will be carrying out police duties. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! I urge the minister to get to the nub of his answer, and I formally call to order the member for Bassendean for the second time, and the member for Perth for the first time. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : These 150 auxiliary police officers will be doing many of the jobs that fully trained and fully sworn police officers are doing at the moment. Approximately 40 police officers have been relinquished from the lockup in Perth to perform front-line duties. They have been replaced by custodial officers—blue shirts—who will be sworn in as special constables. The 150 extra auxiliary officers— Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be trained; of course they will. Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Of course they will not. They will be taking over a lot of the work that our police officers are doing at the moment. We want police officers who are currently doing office work in the stations— Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Armadale! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The trouble is, Mr Speaker, that the opposition is not interested in the truth. It is not interested in law and order. The Labor Party did not take law and order seriously; it did not take drugs seriously. It does not take anything seriously. It deserves to be where it is, and it will be there for a very long time.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : These are all real cops; they are all real police officers. They are not robots, dummies or mannequins. They are real police officers, but the important point is — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mrs M.H. Roberts : You live and breathe; it doesn’t make you a minister! Mr M.P. Whitely : He’s seen Police Academy ! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : That is very nasty. Mr Speaker, you can see how hurtful some of the comments from those opposite can be! They really cut to the quick; they really do! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members to my left! Member for Willagee! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The 350 and 150 auxiliary officers are what the Commissioner for Police asked for. He is in charge of all operational issues, and he was over the moon about the fact that the government had actually agreed to the 350 and 150 additional officers. Do members know why? It is because it gives him more flexibility. I am sure that the former police minister will acknowledge that the commissioner needs that flexibility. Mr J.C. Kobelke : They’re not taking blue shirts and turning them into something else. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : There will be blue shirts. Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I will tell members. They will be carrying out police duties. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! I urge the minister to get to the nub of his answer, and I formally call to order the member for Bassendean for the second time, and the member for Perth for the first time. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : These 150 auxiliary police officers will be doing many of the jobs that fully trained and fully sworn police officers are doing at the moment. Approximately 40 police officers have been relinquished from the lockup in Perth to perform front-line duties. They have been replaced by custodial officers—blue shirts—who will be sworn in as special constables. The 150 extra auxiliary officers— Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be trained; of course they will. Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Of course they will not. They will be taking over a lot of the work that our police officers are doing at the moment. We want police officers who are currently doing office work in the stations— Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Armadale! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The trouble is, Mr Speaker, that the opposition is not interested in the truth. It is not interested in law and order. The Labor Party did not take law and order seriously; it did not take drugs seriously. It does not take anything seriously. It deserves to be where it is, and it will be there for a very long time.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mrs M.H. Roberts : You live and breathe; it doesn’t make you a minister! Mr M.P. Whitely : He’s seen Police Academy ! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : That is very nasty. Mr Speaker, you can see how hurtful some of the comments from those opposite can be! They really cut to the quick; they really do! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members to my left! Member for Willagee! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The 350 and 150 auxiliary officers are what the Commissioner for Police asked for. He is in charge of all operational issues, and he was over the moon about the fact that the government had actually agreed to the 350 and 150 additional officers. Do members know why? It is because it gives him more flexibility. I am sure that the former police minister will acknowledge that the commissioner needs that flexibility. Mr J.C. Kobelke : They’re not taking blue shirts and turning them into something else. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : There will be blue shirts. Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I will tell members. They will be carrying out police duties. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! I urge the minister to get to the nub of his answer, and I formally call to order the member for Bassendean for the second time, and the member for Perth for the first time. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : These 150 auxiliary police officers will be doing many of the jobs that fully trained and fully sworn police officers are doing at the moment. Approximately 40 police officers have been relinquished from the lockup in Perth to perform front-line duties. They have been replaced by custodial officers—blue shirts—who will be sworn in as special constables. The 150 extra auxiliary officers— Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be trained; of course they will. Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Of course they will not. They will be taking over a lot of the work that our police officers are doing at the moment. We want police officers who are currently doing office work in the stations— Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Armadale! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The trouble is, Mr Speaker, that the opposition is not interested in the truth. It is not interested in law and order. The Labor Party did not take law and order seriously; it did not take drugs seriously. It does not take anything seriously. It deserves to be where it is, and it will be there for a very long time.
The SPEAKER : Members! Mrs M.H. Roberts : You live and breathe; it doesn’t make you a minister! Mr M.P. Whitely : He’s seen Police Academy ! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : That is very nasty. Mr Speaker, you can see how hurtful some of the comments from those opposite can be! They really cut to the quick; they really do! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members to my left! Member for Willagee! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The 350 and 150 auxiliary officers are what the Commissioner for Police asked for. He is in charge of all operational issues, and he was over the moon about the fact that the government had actually agreed to the 350 and 150 additional officers. Do members know why? It is because it gives him more flexibility. I am sure that the former police minister will acknowledge that the commissioner needs that flexibility. Mr J.C. Kobelke : They’re not taking blue shirts and turning them into something else. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : There will be blue shirts. Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I will tell members. They will be carrying out police duties. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! I urge the minister to get to the nub of his answer, and I formally call to order the member for Bassendean for the second time, and the member for Perth for the first time. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : These 150 auxiliary police officers will be doing many of the jobs that fully trained and fully sworn police officers are doing at the moment. Approximately 40 police officers have been relinquished from the lockup in Perth to perform front-line duties. They have been replaced by custodial officers—blue shirts—who will be sworn in as special constables. The 150 extra auxiliary officers— Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be trained; of course they will. Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Of course they will not. They will be taking over a lot of the work that our police officers are doing at the moment. We want police officers who are currently doing office work in the stations— Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Armadale! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The trouble is, Mr Speaker, that the opposition is not interested in the truth. It is not interested in law and order. The Labor Party did not take law and order seriously; it did not take drugs seriously. It does not take anything seriously. It deserves to be where it is, and it will be there for a very long time.
Mrs M.H. Roberts : You live and breathe; it doesn’t make you a minister! Mr M.P. Whitely : He’s seen Police Academy ! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : That is very nasty. Mr Speaker, you can see how hurtful some of the comments from those opposite can be! They really cut to the quick; they really do! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members to my left! Member for Willagee! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The 350 and 150 auxiliary officers are what the Commissioner for Police asked for. He is in charge of all operational issues, and he was over the moon about the fact that the government had actually agreed to the 350 and 150 additional officers. Do members know why? It is because it gives him more flexibility. I am sure that the former police minister will acknowledge that the commissioner needs that flexibility. Mr J.C. Kobelke : They’re not taking blue shirts and turning them into something else. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : There will be blue shirts. Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I will tell members. They will be carrying out police duties. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! I urge the minister to get to the nub of his answer, and I formally call to order the member for Bassendean for the second time, and the member for Perth for the first time. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : These 150 auxiliary police officers will be doing many of the jobs that fully trained and fully sworn police officers are doing at the moment. Approximately 40 police officers have been relinquished from the lockup in Perth to perform front-line duties. They have been replaced by custodial officers—blue shirts—who will be sworn in as special constables. The 150 extra auxiliary officers— Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be trained; of course they will. Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Of course they will not. They will be taking over a lot of the work that our police officers are doing at the moment. We want police officers who are currently doing office work in the stations— Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Armadale! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The trouble is, Mr Speaker, that the opposition is not interested in the truth. It is not interested in law and order. The Labor Party did not take law and order seriously; it did not take drugs seriously. It does not take anything seriously. It deserves to be where it is, and it will be there for a very long time.
Mr M.P. Whitely : He’s seen Police Academy ! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : That is very nasty. Mr Speaker, you can see how hurtful some of the comments from those opposite can be! They really cut to the quick; they really do! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members to my left! Member for Willagee! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The 350 and 150 auxiliary officers are what the Commissioner for Police asked for. He is in charge of all operational issues, and he was over the moon about the fact that the government had actually agreed to the 350 and 150 additional officers. Do members know why? It is because it gives him more flexibility. I am sure that the former police minister will acknowledge that the commissioner needs that flexibility. Mr J.C. Kobelke : They’re not taking blue shirts and turning them into something else. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : There will be blue shirts. Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I will tell members. They will be carrying out police duties. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! I urge the minister to get to the nub of his answer, and I formally call to order the member for Bassendean for the second time, and the member for Perth for the first time. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : These 150 auxiliary police officers will be doing many of the jobs that fully trained and fully sworn police officers are doing at the moment. Approximately 40 police officers have been relinquished from the lockup in Perth to perform front-line duties. They have been replaced by custodial officers—blue shirts—who will be sworn in as special constables. The 150 extra auxiliary officers— Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be trained; of course they will. Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Of course they will not. They will be taking over a lot of the work that our police officers are doing at the moment. We want police officers who are currently doing office work in the stations— Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Armadale! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The trouble is, Mr Speaker, that the opposition is not interested in the truth. It is not interested in law and order. The Labor Party did not take law and order seriously; it did not take drugs seriously. It does not take anything seriously. It deserves to be where it is, and it will be there for a very long time.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : That is very nasty. Mr Speaker, you can see how hurtful some of the comments from those opposite can be! They really cut to the quick; they really do! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members to my left! Member for Willagee! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The 350 and 150 auxiliary officers are what the Commissioner for Police asked for. He is in charge of all operational issues, and he was over the moon about the fact that the government had actually agreed to the 350 and 150 additional officers. Do members know why? It is because it gives him more flexibility. I am sure that the former police minister will acknowledge that the commissioner needs that flexibility. Mr J.C. Kobelke : They’re not taking blue shirts and turning them into something else. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : There will be blue shirts. Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I will tell members. They will be carrying out police duties. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! I urge the minister to get to the nub of his answer, and I formally call to order the member for Bassendean for the second time, and the member for Perth for the first time. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : These 150 auxiliary police officers will be doing many of the jobs that fully trained and fully sworn police officers are doing at the moment. Approximately 40 police officers have been relinquished from the lockup in Perth to perform front-line duties. They have been replaced by custodial officers—blue shirts—who will be sworn in as special constables. The 150 extra auxiliary officers— Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be trained; of course they will. Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Of course they will not. They will be taking over a lot of the work that our police officers are doing at the moment. We want police officers who are currently doing office work in the stations— Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Armadale! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The trouble is, Mr Speaker, that the opposition is not interested in the truth. It is not interested in law and order. The Labor Party did not take law and order seriously; it did not take drugs seriously. It does not take anything seriously. It deserves to be where it is, and it will be there for a very long time.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members to my left! Member for Willagee! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The 350 and 150 auxiliary officers are what the Commissioner for Police asked for. He is in charge of all operational issues, and he was over the moon about the fact that the government had actually agreed to the 350 and 150 additional officers. Do members know why? It is because it gives him more flexibility. I am sure that the former police minister will acknowledge that the commissioner needs that flexibility. Mr J.C. Kobelke : They’re not taking blue shirts and turning them into something else. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : There will be blue shirts. Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I will tell members. They will be carrying out police duties. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! I urge the minister to get to the nub of his answer, and I formally call to order the member for Bassendean for the second time, and the member for Perth for the first time. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : These 150 auxiliary police officers will be doing many of the jobs that fully trained and fully sworn police officers are doing at the moment. Approximately 40 police officers have been relinquished from the lockup in Perth to perform front-line duties. They have been replaced by custodial officers—blue shirts—who will be sworn in as special constables. The 150 extra auxiliary officers— Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be trained; of course they will. Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Of course they will not. They will be taking over a lot of the work that our police officers are doing at the moment. We want police officers who are currently doing office work in the stations— Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Armadale! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The trouble is, Mr Speaker, that the opposition is not interested in the truth. It is not interested in law and order. The Labor Party did not take law and order seriously; it did not take drugs seriously. It does not take anything seriously. It deserves to be where it is, and it will be there for a very long time.
The SPEAKER : Members to my left! Member for Willagee! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The 350 and 150 auxiliary officers are what the Commissioner for Police asked for. He is in charge of all operational issues, and he was over the moon about the fact that the government had actually agreed to the 350 and 150 additional officers. Do members know why? It is because it gives him more flexibility. I am sure that the former police minister will acknowledge that the commissioner needs that flexibility. Mr J.C. Kobelke : They’re not taking blue shirts and turning them into something else. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : There will be blue shirts. Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I will tell members. They will be carrying out police duties. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! I urge the minister to get to the nub of his answer, and I formally call to order the member for Bassendean for the second time, and the member for Perth for the first time. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : These 150 auxiliary police officers will be doing many of the jobs that fully trained and fully sworn police officers are doing at the moment. Approximately 40 police officers have been relinquished from the lockup in Perth to perform front-line duties. They have been replaced by custodial officers—blue shirts—who will be sworn in as special constables. The 150 extra auxiliary officers— Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be trained; of course they will. Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Of course they will not. They will be taking over a lot of the work that our police officers are doing at the moment. We want police officers who are currently doing office work in the stations— Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Armadale! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The trouble is, Mr Speaker, that the opposition is not interested in the truth. It is not interested in law and order. The Labor Party did not take law and order seriously; it did not take drugs seriously. It does not take anything seriously. It deserves to be where it is, and it will be there for a very long time.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The 350 and 150 auxiliary officers are what the Commissioner for Police asked for. He is in charge of all operational issues, and he was over the moon about the fact that the government had actually agreed to the 350 and 150 additional officers. Do members know why? It is because it gives him more flexibility. I am sure that the former police minister will acknowledge that the commissioner needs that flexibility. Mr J.C. Kobelke : They’re not taking blue shirts and turning them into something else. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : There will be blue shirts. Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I will tell members. They will be carrying out police duties. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! I urge the minister to get to the nub of his answer, and I formally call to order the member for Bassendean for the second time, and the member for Perth for the first time. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : These 150 auxiliary police officers will be doing many of the jobs that fully trained and fully sworn police officers are doing at the moment. Approximately 40 police officers have been relinquished from the lockup in Perth to perform front-line duties. They have been replaced by custodial officers—blue shirts—who will be sworn in as special constables. The 150 extra auxiliary officers— Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be trained; of course they will. Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Of course they will not. They will be taking over a lot of the work that our police officers are doing at the moment. We want police officers who are currently doing office work in the stations— Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Armadale! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The trouble is, Mr Speaker, that the opposition is not interested in the truth. It is not interested in law and order. The Labor Party did not take law and order seriously; it did not take drugs seriously. It does not take anything seriously. It deserves to be where it is, and it will be there for a very long time.
Mr J.C. Kobelke : They’re not taking blue shirts and turning them into something else. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : There will be blue shirts. Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I will tell members. They will be carrying out police duties. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! I urge the minister to get to the nub of his answer, and I formally call to order the member for Bassendean for the second time, and the member for Perth for the first time. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : These 150 auxiliary police officers will be doing many of the jobs that fully trained and fully sworn police officers are doing at the moment. Approximately 40 police officers have been relinquished from the lockup in Perth to perform front-line duties. They have been replaced by custodial officers—blue shirts—who will be sworn in as special constables. The 150 extra auxiliary officers— Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be trained; of course they will. Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Of course they will not. They will be taking over a lot of the work that our police officers are doing at the moment. We want police officers who are currently doing office work in the stations— Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Armadale! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The trouble is, Mr Speaker, that the opposition is not interested in the truth. It is not interested in law and order. The Labor Party did not take law and order seriously; it did not take drugs seriously. It does not take anything seriously. It deserves to be where it is, and it will be there for a very long time.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : There will be blue shirts. Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I will tell members. They will be carrying out police duties. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! I urge the minister to get to the nub of his answer, and I formally call to order the member for Bassendean for the second time, and the member for Perth for the first time. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : These 150 auxiliary police officers will be doing many of the jobs that fully trained and fully sworn police officers are doing at the moment. Approximately 40 police officers have been relinquished from the lockup in Perth to perform front-line duties. They have been replaced by custodial officers—blue shirts—who will be sworn in as special constables. The 150 extra auxiliary officers— Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be trained; of course they will. Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Of course they will not. They will be taking over a lot of the work that our police officers are doing at the moment. We want police officers who are currently doing office work in the stations— Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Armadale! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The trouble is, Mr Speaker, that the opposition is not interested in the truth. It is not interested in law and order. The Labor Party did not take law and order seriously; it did not take drugs seriously. It does not take anything seriously. It deserves to be where it is, and it will be there for a very long time.
Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I will tell members. They will be carrying out police duties. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! I urge the minister to get to the nub of his answer, and I formally call to order the member for Bassendean for the second time, and the member for Perth for the first time. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : These 150 auxiliary police officers will be doing many of the jobs that fully trained and fully sworn police officers are doing at the moment. Approximately 40 police officers have been relinquished from the lockup in Perth to perform front-line duties. They have been replaced by custodial officers—blue shirts—who will be sworn in as special constables. The 150 extra auxiliary officers— Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be trained; of course they will. Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Of course they will not. They will be taking over a lot of the work that our police officers are doing at the moment. We want police officers who are currently doing office work in the stations— Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Armadale! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The trouble is, Mr Speaker, that the opposition is not interested in the truth. It is not interested in law and order. The Labor Party did not take law and order seriously; it did not take drugs seriously. It does not take anything seriously. It deserves to be where it is, and it will be there for a very long time.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I will tell members. They will be carrying out police duties. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! I urge the minister to get to the nub of his answer, and I formally call to order the member for Bassendean for the second time, and the member for Perth for the first time. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : These 150 auxiliary police officers will be doing many of the jobs that fully trained and fully sworn police officers are doing at the moment. Approximately 40 police officers have been relinquished from the lockup in Perth to perform front-line duties. They have been replaced by custodial officers—blue shirts—who will be sworn in as special constables. The 150 extra auxiliary officers— Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be trained; of course they will. Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Of course they will not. They will be taking over a lot of the work that our police officers are doing at the moment. We want police officers who are currently doing office work in the stations— Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Armadale! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The trouble is, Mr Speaker, that the opposition is not interested in the truth. It is not interested in law and order. The Labor Party did not take law and order seriously; it did not take drugs seriously. It does not take anything seriously. It deserves to be where it is, and it will be there for a very long time.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! I urge the minister to get to the nub of his answer, and I formally call to order the member for Bassendean for the second time, and the member for Perth for the first time. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : These 150 auxiliary police officers will be doing many of the jobs that fully trained and fully sworn police officers are doing at the moment. Approximately 40 police officers have been relinquished from the lockup in Perth to perform front-line duties. They have been replaced by custodial officers—blue shirts—who will be sworn in as special constables. The 150 extra auxiliary officers— Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be trained; of course they will. Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Of course they will not. They will be taking over a lot of the work that our police officers are doing at the moment. We want police officers who are currently doing office work in the stations— Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Armadale! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The trouble is, Mr Speaker, that the opposition is not interested in the truth. It is not interested in law and order. The Labor Party did not take law and order seriously; it did not take drugs seriously. It does not take anything seriously. It deserves to be where it is, and it will be there for a very long time.
The SPEAKER : Members! I urge the minister to get to the nub of his answer, and I formally call to order the member for Bassendean for the second time, and the member for Perth for the first time. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : These 150 auxiliary police officers will be doing many of the jobs that fully trained and fully sworn police officers are doing at the moment. Approximately 40 police officers have been relinquished from the lockup in Perth to perform front-line duties. They have been replaced by custodial officers—blue shirts—who will be sworn in as special constables. The 150 extra auxiliary officers— Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be trained; of course they will. Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Of course they will not. They will be taking over a lot of the work that our police officers are doing at the moment. We want police officers who are currently doing office work in the stations— Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Armadale! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The trouble is, Mr Speaker, that the opposition is not interested in the truth. It is not interested in law and order. The Labor Party did not take law and order seriously; it did not take drugs seriously. It does not take anything seriously. It deserves to be where it is, and it will be there for a very long time.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : These 150 auxiliary police officers will be doing many of the jobs that fully trained and fully sworn police officers are doing at the moment. Approximately 40 police officers have been relinquished from the lockup in Perth to perform front-line duties. They have been replaced by custodial officers—blue shirts—who will be sworn in as special constables. The 150 extra auxiliary officers— Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be trained; of course they will. Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Of course they will not. They will be taking over a lot of the work that our police officers are doing at the moment. We want police officers who are currently doing office work in the stations— Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Armadale! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The trouble is, Mr Speaker, that the opposition is not interested in the truth. It is not interested in law and order. The Labor Party did not take law and order seriously; it did not take drugs seriously. It does not take anything seriously. It deserves to be where it is, and it will be there for a very long time.
Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be trained; of course they will. Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Of course they will not. They will be taking over a lot of the work that our police officers are doing at the moment. We want police officers who are currently doing office work in the stations— Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Armadale! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The trouble is, Mr Speaker, that the opposition is not interested in the truth. It is not interested in law and order. The Labor Party did not take law and order seriously; it did not take drugs seriously. It does not take anything seriously. It deserves to be where it is, and it will be there for a very long time.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be trained; of course they will. Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Of course they will not. They will be taking over a lot of the work that our police officers are doing at the moment. We want police officers who are currently doing office work in the stations— Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Armadale! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The trouble is, Mr Speaker, that the opposition is not interested in the truth. It is not interested in law and order. The Labor Party did not take law and order seriously; it did not take drugs seriously. It does not take anything seriously. It deserves to be where it is, and it will be there for a very long time.
Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Of course they will not. They will be taking over a lot of the work that our police officers are doing at the moment. We want police officers who are currently doing office work in the stations— Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Armadale! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The trouble is, Mr Speaker, that the opposition is not interested in the truth. It is not interested in law and order. The Labor Party did not take law and order seriously; it did not take drugs seriously. It does not take anything seriously. It deserves to be where it is, and it will be there for a very long time.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Of course they will not. They will be taking over a lot of the work that our police officers are doing at the moment. We want police officers who are currently doing office work in the stations— Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Armadale! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The trouble is, Mr Speaker, that the opposition is not interested in the truth. It is not interested in law and order. The Labor Party did not take law and order seriously; it did not take drugs seriously. It does not take anything seriously. It deserves to be where it is, and it will be there for a very long time.
Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Armadale! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The trouble is, Mr Speaker, that the opposition is not interested in the truth. It is not interested in law and order. The Labor Party did not take law and order seriously; it did not take drugs seriously. It does not take anything seriously. It deserves to be where it is, and it will be there for a very long time.
The SPEAKER : Member for Armadale! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The trouble is, Mr Speaker, that the opposition is not interested in the truth. It is not interested in law and order. The Labor Party did not take law and order seriously; it did not take drugs seriously. It does not take anything seriously. It deserves to be where it is, and it will be there for a very long time.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The trouble is, Mr Speaker, that the opposition is not interested in the truth. It is not interested in law and order. The Labor Party did not take law and order seriously; it did not take drugs seriously. It does not take anything seriously. It deserves to be where it is, and it will be there for a very long time.
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