❓ A parliamentary question regarding police resource allocation in the Pilbara region, specifically concerning the adequacy of officer numbers given population growth and FIFO workers. The Minister's response expresses confidence in the existing allocation model and future improvements.
AnsweredQoN 546Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
POLICE OFFICERS — PILBARA
(1) Why will South Hedland receive only two additional police officers and a forensic officer while Karratha will get no additional fully sworn police officers and three auxiliaries and Newman will get just one auxiliary out of 350 additional officers that the Barnett government is recruiting under the police resource allocation model? (2) Does the minister consider it an adequate response given the population in the Pilbara has almost doubled in the past five years and there are increasing numbers of fly in, fly out workers in the region? (3) Has the Pilbara been let down because of the costs of housing the police officers themselves? (4) Does the minister concede that, as a result of these pressures, the Pilbara will struggle with increasing crime in the region? Mr R.F. JOHNSON
(1) Why will South Hedland receive only two additional police officers and a forensic officer while Karratha will get no additional fully sworn police officers and three auxiliaries and Newman will get just one auxiliary out of 350 additional officers that the Barnett government is recruiting under the police resource allocation model? (2) Does the minister consider it an adequate response given the population in the Pilbara has almost doubled in the past five years and there are increasing numbers of fly in, fly out workers in the region? (3) Has the Pilbara been let down because of the costs of housing the police officers themselves? (4) Does the minister concede that, as a result of these pressures, the Pilbara will struggle with increasing crime in the region? Mr R.F. JOHNSON
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(4) I will just say that the Pilbara will not struggle. I have every confidence in the way that the Commissioner of Police allocates his police officers. Over the course of our term of government, we will be putting on more police officers than members opposite could have dreamt of doing. Mr E.S. Ripper : You are putting on less than you promised and less than we promised. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : We heard all about the Leader of the Opposition’s promises in the past and we do not take those promises — Mr E.S. Ripper : We delivered on those promises. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : No; Labor did not deliver. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : In total, we will put on a minimum of 500 police officers including 350 fully sworn officers and 150 police auxiliary officers. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, Leader of the Opposition! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be police officers and they will do a lot of the jobs our police officers do at the moment behind desks and — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will replace those police officers who at the moment are doing custodial work in lock houses and police stations with cells; they will take over all those jobs so that those fully sworn, fully trained, fully armed police officers can get out on the streets to carry out their front-line duties. We will be doing that. However, the member has asked about specific police allocations in South Hedland, Karratha and Newman. The police commissioner and his officers work out the strength needed in those areas. It is worked out on a very sensible basis because they have to allocate officers throughout the state. If there were a desperate need in any of the towns mentioned, they would allocate more police officers. Mr A.P. O’Gorman : How do they work it out? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I know that some of our new auxiliary officers will go to country police stations, thereby freeing up the police officers who work there. I think the member said that there were some at—was it South Hedland or somewhere else? I cannot remember what the member said. However, I assure the member that those auxiliary officers will not be based just in the metropolitan area. They will be allocated to some of our regional police stations. Mr B.J. Grylls : Minister, the $5 000 district allowance might help. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It certainly will. I will say that whether those areas get police officers is not a question of housing, because housing or housing assistance will be provided. Housing is not a factor in the member’s argument, if I can put it that way. Those towns in the Pilbara — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Members are interjecting again! Those districts will get the number of police officers that they need. If the population increases, the commissioner will allocate more police officers to the area; that is part of the equation that he uses to work out the numbers of police officers—the authorised strength. I do not think that the member has anything to be worried about, because all the while this government is in power and all the while that we have the dedicated police service that we know we have and that knows it has the government behind it and funding it adequately—in fact, more than adequately—and supporting it with housing, I think that the member will find that people will be very keen to go to live and work in the areas that he has mentioned.
(2) Does the minister consider it an adequate response given the population in the Pilbara has almost doubled in the past five years and there are increasing numbers of fly in, fly out workers in the region? (3) Has the Pilbara been let down because of the costs of housing the police officers themselves? (4) Does the minister concede that, as a result of these pressures, the Pilbara will struggle with increasing crime in the region? Mr R.F. JOHNSON replied: (1)–(4) I will just say that the Pilbara will not struggle. I have every confidence in the way that the Commissioner of Police allocates his police officers. Over the course of our term of government, we will be putting on more police officers than members opposite could have dreamt of doing. Mr E.S. Ripper : You are putting on less than you promised and less than we promised. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : We heard all about the Leader of the Opposition’s promises in the past and we do not take those promises — Mr E.S. Ripper : We delivered on those promises. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : No; Labor did not deliver. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : In total, we will put on a minimum of 500 police officers including 350 fully sworn officers and 150 police auxiliary officers. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, Leader of the Opposition! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be police officers and they will do a lot of the jobs our police officers do at the moment behind desks and — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will replace those police officers who at the moment are doing custodial work in lock houses and police stations with cells; they will take over all those jobs so that those fully sworn, fully trained, fully armed police officers can get out on the streets to carry out their front-line duties. We will be doing that. However, the member has asked about specific police allocations in South Hedland, Karratha and Newman. The police commissioner and his officers work out the strength needed in those areas. It is worked out on a very sensible basis because they have to allocate officers throughout the state. If there were a desperate need in any of the towns mentioned, they would allocate more police officers. Mr A.P. O’Gorman : How do they work it out? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I know that some of our new auxiliary officers will go to country police stations, thereby freeing up the police officers who work there. I think the member said that there were some at—was it South Hedland or somewhere else? I cannot remember what the member said. However, I assure the member that those auxiliary officers will not be based just in the metropolitan area. They will be allocated to some of our regional police stations. Mr B.J. Grylls : Minister, the $5 000 district allowance might help. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It certainly will. I will say that whether those areas get police officers is not a question of housing, because housing or housing assistance will be provided. Housing is not a factor in the member’s argument, if I can put it that way. Those towns in the Pilbara — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Members are interjecting again! Those districts will get the number of police officers that they need. If the population increases, the commissioner will allocate more police officers to the area; that is part of the equation that he uses to work out the numbers of police officers—the authorised strength. I do not think that the member has anything to be worried about, because all the while this government is in power and all the while that we have the dedicated police service that we know we have and that knows it has the government behind it and funding it adequately—in fact, more than adequately—and supporting it with housing, I think that the member will find that people will be very keen to go to live and work in the areas that he has mentioned.
(3) Has the Pilbara been let down because of the costs of housing the police officers themselves? (4) Does the minister concede that, as a result of these pressures, the Pilbara will struggle with increasing crime in the region? Mr R.F. JOHNSON replied: (1)–(4) I will just say that the Pilbara will not struggle. I have every confidence in the way that the Commissioner of Police allocates his police officers. Over the course of our term of government, we will be putting on more police officers than members opposite could have dreamt of doing. Mr E.S. Ripper : You are putting on less than you promised and less than we promised. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : We heard all about the Leader of the Opposition’s promises in the past and we do not take those promises — Mr E.S. Ripper : We delivered on those promises. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : No; Labor did not deliver. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : In total, we will put on a minimum of 500 police officers including 350 fully sworn officers and 150 police auxiliary officers. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, Leader of the Opposition! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be police officers and they will do a lot of the jobs our police officers do at the moment behind desks and — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will replace those police officers who at the moment are doing custodial work in lock houses and police stations with cells; they will take over all those jobs so that those fully sworn, fully trained, fully armed police officers can get out on the streets to carry out their front-line duties. We will be doing that. However, the member has asked about specific police allocations in South Hedland, Karratha and Newman. The police commissioner and his officers work out the strength needed in those areas. It is worked out on a very sensible basis because they have to allocate officers throughout the state. If there were a desperate need in any of the towns mentioned, they would allocate more police officers. Mr A.P. O’Gorman : How do they work it out? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I know that some of our new auxiliary officers will go to country police stations, thereby freeing up the police officers who work there. I think the member said that there were some at—was it South Hedland or somewhere else? I cannot remember what the member said. However, I assure the member that those auxiliary officers will not be based just in the metropolitan area. They will be allocated to some of our regional police stations. Mr B.J. Grylls : Minister, the $5 000 district allowance might help. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It certainly will. I will say that whether those areas get police officers is not a question of housing, because housing or housing assistance will be provided. Housing is not a factor in the member’s argument, if I can put it that way. Those towns in the Pilbara — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Members are interjecting again! Those districts will get the number of police officers that they need. If the population increases, the commissioner will allocate more police officers to the area; that is part of the equation that he uses to work out the numbers of police officers—the authorised strength. I do not think that the member has anything to be worried about, because all the while this government is in power and all the while that we have the dedicated police service that we know we have and that knows it has the government behind it and funding it adequately—in fact, more than adequately—and supporting it with housing, I think that the member will find that people will be very keen to go to live and work in the areas that he has mentioned.
(4) Does the minister concede that, as a result of these pressures, the Pilbara will struggle with increasing crime in the region? Mr R.F. JOHNSON replied: (1)–(4) I will just say that the Pilbara will not struggle. I have every confidence in the way that the Commissioner of Police allocates his police officers. Over the course of our term of government, we will be putting on more police officers than members opposite could have dreamt of doing. Mr E.S. Ripper : You are putting on less than you promised and less than we promised. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : We heard all about the Leader of the Opposition’s promises in the past and we do not take those promises — Mr E.S. Ripper : We delivered on those promises. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : No; Labor did not deliver. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : In total, we will put on a minimum of 500 police officers including 350 fully sworn officers and 150 police auxiliary officers. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, Leader of the Opposition! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be police officers and they will do a lot of the jobs our police officers do at the moment behind desks and — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will replace those police officers who at the moment are doing custodial work in lock houses and police stations with cells; they will take over all those jobs so that those fully sworn, fully trained, fully armed police officers can get out on the streets to carry out their front-line duties. We will be doing that. However, the member has asked about specific police allocations in South Hedland, Karratha and Newman. The police commissioner and his officers work out the strength needed in those areas. It is worked out on a very sensible basis because they have to allocate officers throughout the state. If there were a desperate need in any of the towns mentioned, they would allocate more police officers. Mr A.P. O’Gorman : How do they work it out? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I know that some of our new auxiliary officers will go to country police stations, thereby freeing up the police officers who work there. I think the member said that there were some at—was it South Hedland or somewhere else? I cannot remember what the member said. However, I assure the member that those auxiliary officers will not be based just in the metropolitan area. They will be allocated to some of our regional police stations. Mr B.J. Grylls : Minister, the $5 000 district allowance might help. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It certainly will. I will say that whether those areas get police officers is not a question of housing, because housing or housing assistance will be provided. Housing is not a factor in the member’s argument, if I can put it that way. Those towns in the Pilbara — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Members are interjecting again! Those districts will get the number of police officers that they need. If the population increases, the commissioner will allocate more police officers to the area; that is part of the equation that he uses to work out the numbers of police officers—the authorised strength. I do not think that the member has anything to be worried about, because all the while this government is in power and all the while that we have the dedicated police service that we know we have and that knows it has the government behind it and funding it adequately—in fact, more than adequately—and supporting it with housing, I think that the member will find that people will be very keen to go to live and work in the areas that he has mentioned.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON replied: (1)–(4) I will just say that the Pilbara will not struggle. I have every confidence in the way that the Commissioner of Police allocates his police officers. Over the course of our term of government, we will be putting on more police officers than members opposite could have dreamt of doing. Mr E.S. Ripper : You are putting on less than you promised and less than we promised. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : We heard all about the Leader of the Opposition’s promises in the past and we do not take those promises — Mr E.S. Ripper : We delivered on those promises. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : No; Labor did not deliver. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : In total, we will put on a minimum of 500 police officers including 350 fully sworn officers and 150 police auxiliary officers. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, Leader of the Opposition! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be police officers and they will do a lot of the jobs our police officers do at the moment behind desks and — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will replace those police officers who at the moment are doing custodial work in lock houses and police stations with cells; they will take over all those jobs so that those fully sworn, fully trained, fully armed police officers can get out on the streets to carry out their front-line duties. We will be doing that. However, the member has asked about specific police allocations in South Hedland, Karratha and Newman. The police commissioner and his officers work out the strength needed in those areas. It is worked out on a very sensible basis because they have to allocate officers throughout the state. If there were a desperate need in any of the towns mentioned, they would allocate more police officers. Mr A.P. O’Gorman : How do they work it out? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I know that some of our new auxiliary officers will go to country police stations, thereby freeing up the police officers who work there. I think the member said that there were some at—was it South Hedland or somewhere else? I cannot remember what the member said. However, I assure the member that those auxiliary officers will not be based just in the metropolitan area. They will be allocated to some of our regional police stations. Mr B.J. Grylls : Minister, the $5 000 district allowance might help. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It certainly will. I will say that whether those areas get police officers is not a question of housing, because housing or housing assistance will be provided. Housing is not a factor in the member’s argument, if I can put it that way. Those towns in the Pilbara — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Members are interjecting again! Those districts will get the number of police officers that they need. If the population increases, the commissioner will allocate more police officers to the area; that is part of the equation that he uses to work out the numbers of police officers—the authorised strength. I do not think that the member has anything to be worried about, because all the while this government is in power and all the while that we have the dedicated police service that we know we have and that knows it has the government behind it and funding it adequately—in fact, more than adequately—and supporting it with housing, I think that the member will find that people will be very keen to go to live and work in the areas that he has mentioned.
(1)–(4) I will just say that the Pilbara will not struggle. I have every confidence in the way that the Commissioner of Police allocates his police officers. Over the course of our term of government, we will be putting on more police officers than members opposite could have dreamt of doing. Mr E.S. Ripper : You are putting on less than you promised and less than we promised. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : We heard all about the Leader of the Opposition’s promises in the past and we do not take those promises — Mr E.S. Ripper : We delivered on those promises. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : No; Labor did not deliver. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : In total, we will put on a minimum of 500 police officers including 350 fully sworn officers and 150 police auxiliary officers. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, Leader of the Opposition! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be police officers and they will do a lot of the jobs our police officers do at the moment behind desks and — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will replace those police officers who at the moment are doing custodial work in lock houses and police stations with cells; they will take over all those jobs so that those fully sworn, fully trained, fully armed police officers can get out on the streets to carry out their front-line duties. We will be doing that. However, the member has asked about specific police allocations in South Hedland, Karratha and Newman. The police commissioner and his officers work out the strength needed in those areas. It is worked out on a very sensible basis because they have to allocate officers throughout the state. If there were a desperate need in any of the towns mentioned, they would allocate more police officers. Mr A.P. O’Gorman : How do they work it out? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I know that some of our new auxiliary officers will go to country police stations, thereby freeing up the police officers who work there. I think the member said that there were some at—was it South Hedland or somewhere else? I cannot remember what the member said. However, I assure the member that those auxiliary officers will not be based just in the metropolitan area. They will be allocated to some of our regional police stations. Mr B.J. Grylls : Minister, the $5 000 district allowance might help. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It certainly will. I will say that whether those areas get police officers is not a question of housing, because housing or housing assistance will be provided. Housing is not a factor in the member’s argument, if I can put it that way. Those towns in the Pilbara — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Members are interjecting again! Those districts will get the number of police officers that they need. If the population increases, the commissioner will allocate more police officers to the area; that is part of the equation that he uses to work out the numbers of police officers—the authorised strength. I do not think that the member has anything to be worried about, because all the while this government is in power and all the while that we have the dedicated police service that we know we have and that knows it has the government behind it and funding it adequately—in fact, more than adequately—and supporting it with housing, I think that the member will find that people will be very keen to go to live and work in the areas that he has mentioned.
Mr E.S. Ripper : You are putting on less than you promised and less than we promised. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : We heard all about the Leader of the Opposition’s promises in the past and we do not take those promises — Mr E.S. Ripper : We delivered on those promises. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : No; Labor did not deliver. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : In total, we will put on a minimum of 500 police officers including 350 fully sworn officers and 150 police auxiliary officers. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, Leader of the Opposition! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be police officers and they will do a lot of the jobs our police officers do at the moment behind desks and — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will replace those police officers who at the moment are doing custodial work in lock houses and police stations with cells; they will take over all those jobs so that those fully sworn, fully trained, fully armed police officers can get out on the streets to carry out their front-line duties. We will be doing that. However, the member has asked about specific police allocations in South Hedland, Karratha and Newman. The police commissioner and his officers work out the strength needed in those areas. It is worked out on a very sensible basis because they have to allocate officers throughout the state. If there were a desperate need in any of the towns mentioned, they would allocate more police officers. Mr A.P. O’Gorman : How do they work it out? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I know that some of our new auxiliary officers will go to country police stations, thereby freeing up the police officers who work there. I think the member said that there were some at—was it South Hedland or somewhere else? I cannot remember what the member said. However, I assure the member that those auxiliary officers will not be based just in the metropolitan area. They will be allocated to some of our regional police stations. Mr B.J. Grylls : Minister, the $5 000 district allowance might help. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It certainly will. I will say that whether those areas get police officers is not a question of housing, because housing or housing assistance will be provided. Housing is not a factor in the member’s argument, if I can put it that way. Those towns in the Pilbara — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Members are interjecting again! Those districts will get the number of police officers that they need. If the population increases, the commissioner will allocate more police officers to the area; that is part of the equation that he uses to work out the numbers of police officers—the authorised strength. I do not think that the member has anything to be worried about, because all the while this government is in power and all the while that we have the dedicated police service that we know we have and that knows it has the government behind it and funding it adequately—in fact, more than adequately—and supporting it with housing, I think that the member will find that people will be very keen to go to live and work in the areas that he has mentioned.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : We heard all about the Leader of the Opposition’s promises in the past and we do not take those promises — Mr E.S. Ripper : We delivered on those promises. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : No; Labor did not deliver. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : In total, we will put on a minimum of 500 police officers including 350 fully sworn officers and 150 police auxiliary officers. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, Leader of the Opposition! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be police officers and they will do a lot of the jobs our police officers do at the moment behind desks and — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will replace those police officers who at the moment are doing custodial work in lock houses and police stations with cells; they will take over all those jobs so that those fully sworn, fully trained, fully armed police officers can get out on the streets to carry out their front-line duties. We will be doing that. However, the member has asked about specific police allocations in South Hedland, Karratha and Newman. The police commissioner and his officers work out the strength needed in those areas. It is worked out on a very sensible basis because they have to allocate officers throughout the state. If there were a desperate need in any of the towns mentioned, they would allocate more police officers. Mr A.P. O’Gorman : How do they work it out? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I know that some of our new auxiliary officers will go to country police stations, thereby freeing up the police officers who work there. I think the member said that there were some at—was it South Hedland or somewhere else? I cannot remember what the member said. However, I assure the member that those auxiliary officers will not be based just in the metropolitan area. They will be allocated to some of our regional police stations. Mr B.J. Grylls : Minister, the $5 000 district allowance might help. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It certainly will. I will say that whether those areas get police officers is not a question of housing, because housing or housing assistance will be provided. Housing is not a factor in the member’s argument, if I can put it that way. Those towns in the Pilbara — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Members are interjecting again! Those districts will get the number of police officers that they need. If the population increases, the commissioner will allocate more police officers to the area; that is part of the equation that he uses to work out the numbers of police officers—the authorised strength. I do not think that the member has anything to be worried about, because all the while this government is in power and all the while that we have the dedicated police service that we know we have and that knows it has the government behind it and funding it adequately—in fact, more than adequately—and supporting it with housing, I think that the member will find that people will be very keen to go to live and work in the areas that he has mentioned.
Mr E.S. Ripper : We delivered on those promises. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : No; Labor did not deliver. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : In total, we will put on a minimum of 500 police officers including 350 fully sworn officers and 150 police auxiliary officers. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, Leader of the Opposition! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be police officers and they will do a lot of the jobs our police officers do at the moment behind desks and — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will replace those police officers who at the moment are doing custodial work in lock houses and police stations with cells; they will take over all those jobs so that those fully sworn, fully trained, fully armed police officers can get out on the streets to carry out their front-line duties. We will be doing that. However, the member has asked about specific police allocations in South Hedland, Karratha and Newman. The police commissioner and his officers work out the strength needed in those areas. It is worked out on a very sensible basis because they have to allocate officers throughout the state. If there were a desperate need in any of the towns mentioned, they would allocate more police officers. Mr A.P. O’Gorman : How do they work it out? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I know that some of our new auxiliary officers will go to country police stations, thereby freeing up the police officers who work there. I think the member said that there were some at—was it South Hedland or somewhere else? I cannot remember what the member said. However, I assure the member that those auxiliary officers will not be based just in the metropolitan area. They will be allocated to some of our regional police stations. Mr B.J. Grylls : Minister, the $5 000 district allowance might help. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It certainly will. I will say that whether those areas get police officers is not a question of housing, because housing or housing assistance will be provided. Housing is not a factor in the member’s argument, if I can put it that way. Those towns in the Pilbara — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Members are interjecting again! Those districts will get the number of police officers that they need. If the population increases, the commissioner will allocate more police officers to the area; that is part of the equation that he uses to work out the numbers of police officers—the authorised strength. I do not think that the member has anything to be worried about, because all the while this government is in power and all the while that we have the dedicated police service that we know we have and that knows it has the government behind it and funding it adequately—in fact, more than adequately—and supporting it with housing, I think that the member will find that people will be very keen to go to live and work in the areas that he has mentioned.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : No; Labor did not deliver. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : In total, we will put on a minimum of 500 police officers including 350 fully sworn officers and 150 police auxiliary officers. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, Leader of the Opposition! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be police officers and they will do a lot of the jobs our police officers do at the moment behind desks and — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will replace those police officers who at the moment are doing custodial work in lock houses and police stations with cells; they will take over all those jobs so that those fully sworn, fully trained, fully armed police officers can get out on the streets to carry out their front-line duties. We will be doing that. However, the member has asked about specific police allocations in South Hedland, Karratha and Newman. The police commissioner and his officers work out the strength needed in those areas. It is worked out on a very sensible basis because they have to allocate officers throughout the state. If there were a desperate need in any of the towns mentioned, they would allocate more police officers. Mr A.P. O’Gorman : How do they work it out? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I know that some of our new auxiliary officers will go to country police stations, thereby freeing up the police officers who work there. I think the member said that there were some at—was it South Hedland or somewhere else? I cannot remember what the member said. However, I assure the member that those auxiliary officers will not be based just in the metropolitan area. They will be allocated to some of our regional police stations. Mr B.J. Grylls : Minister, the $5 000 district allowance might help. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It certainly will. I will say that whether those areas get police officers is not a question of housing, because housing or housing assistance will be provided. Housing is not a factor in the member’s argument, if I can put it that way. Those towns in the Pilbara — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Members are interjecting again! Those districts will get the number of police officers that they need. If the population increases, the commissioner will allocate more police officers to the area; that is part of the equation that he uses to work out the numbers of police officers—the authorised strength. I do not think that the member has anything to be worried about, because all the while this government is in power and all the while that we have the dedicated police service that we know we have and that knows it has the government behind it and funding it adequately—in fact, more than adequately—and supporting it with housing, I think that the member will find that people will be very keen to go to live and work in the areas that he has mentioned.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : In total, we will put on a minimum of 500 police officers including 350 fully sworn officers and 150 police auxiliary officers. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, Leader of the Opposition! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be police officers and they will do a lot of the jobs our police officers do at the moment behind desks and — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will replace those police officers who at the moment are doing custodial work in lock houses and police stations with cells; they will take over all those jobs so that those fully sworn, fully trained, fully armed police officers can get out on the streets to carry out their front-line duties. We will be doing that. However, the member has asked about specific police allocations in South Hedland, Karratha and Newman. The police commissioner and his officers work out the strength needed in those areas. It is worked out on a very sensible basis because they have to allocate officers throughout the state. If there were a desperate need in any of the towns mentioned, they would allocate more police officers. Mr A.P. O’Gorman : How do they work it out? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I know that some of our new auxiliary officers will go to country police stations, thereby freeing up the police officers who work there. I think the member said that there were some at—was it South Hedland or somewhere else? I cannot remember what the member said. However, I assure the member that those auxiliary officers will not be based just in the metropolitan area. They will be allocated to some of our regional police stations. Mr B.J. Grylls : Minister, the $5 000 district allowance might help. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It certainly will. I will say that whether those areas get police officers is not a question of housing, because housing or housing assistance will be provided. Housing is not a factor in the member’s argument, if I can put it that way. Those towns in the Pilbara — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Members are interjecting again! Those districts will get the number of police officers that they need. If the population increases, the commissioner will allocate more police officers to the area; that is part of the equation that he uses to work out the numbers of police officers—the authorised strength. I do not think that the member has anything to be worried about, because all the while this government is in power and all the while that we have the dedicated police service that we know we have and that knows it has the government behind it and funding it adequately—in fact, more than adequately—and supporting it with housing, I think that the member will find that people will be very keen to go to live and work in the areas that he has mentioned.
The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : In total, we will put on a minimum of 500 police officers including 350 fully sworn officers and 150 police auxiliary officers. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, Leader of the Opposition! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be police officers and they will do a lot of the jobs our police officers do at the moment behind desks and — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will replace those police officers who at the moment are doing custodial work in lock houses and police stations with cells; they will take over all those jobs so that those fully sworn, fully trained, fully armed police officers can get out on the streets to carry out their front-line duties. We will be doing that. However, the member has asked about specific police allocations in South Hedland, Karratha and Newman. The police commissioner and his officers work out the strength needed in those areas. It is worked out on a very sensible basis because they have to allocate officers throughout the state. If there were a desperate need in any of the towns mentioned, they would allocate more police officers. Mr A.P. O’Gorman : How do they work it out? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I know that some of our new auxiliary officers will go to country police stations, thereby freeing up the police officers who work there. I think the member said that there were some at—was it South Hedland or somewhere else? I cannot remember what the member said. However, I assure the member that those auxiliary officers will not be based just in the metropolitan area. They will be allocated to some of our regional police stations. Mr B.J. Grylls : Minister, the $5 000 district allowance might help. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It certainly will. I will say that whether those areas get police officers is not a question of housing, because housing or housing assistance will be provided. Housing is not a factor in the member’s argument, if I can put it that way. Those towns in the Pilbara — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Members are interjecting again! Those districts will get the number of police officers that they need. If the population increases, the commissioner will allocate more police officers to the area; that is part of the equation that he uses to work out the numbers of police officers—the authorised strength. I do not think that the member has anything to be worried about, because all the while this government is in power and all the while that we have the dedicated police service that we know we have and that knows it has the government behind it and funding it adequately—in fact, more than adequately—and supporting it with housing, I think that the member will find that people will be very keen to go to live and work in the areas that he has mentioned.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : In total, we will put on a minimum of 500 police officers including 350 fully sworn officers and 150 police auxiliary officers. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, Leader of the Opposition! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be police officers and they will do a lot of the jobs our police officers do at the moment behind desks and — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will replace those police officers who at the moment are doing custodial work in lock houses and police stations with cells; they will take over all those jobs so that those fully sworn, fully trained, fully armed police officers can get out on the streets to carry out their front-line duties. We will be doing that. However, the member has asked about specific police allocations in South Hedland, Karratha and Newman. The police commissioner and his officers work out the strength needed in those areas. It is worked out on a very sensible basis because they have to allocate officers throughout the state. If there were a desperate need in any of the towns mentioned, they would allocate more police officers. Mr A.P. O’Gorman : How do they work it out? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I know that some of our new auxiliary officers will go to country police stations, thereby freeing up the police officers who work there. I think the member said that there were some at—was it South Hedland or somewhere else? I cannot remember what the member said. However, I assure the member that those auxiliary officers will not be based just in the metropolitan area. They will be allocated to some of our regional police stations. Mr B.J. Grylls : Minister, the $5 000 district allowance might help. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It certainly will. I will say that whether those areas get police officers is not a question of housing, because housing or housing assistance will be provided. Housing is not a factor in the member’s argument, if I can put it that way. Those towns in the Pilbara — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Members are interjecting again! Those districts will get the number of police officers that they need. If the population increases, the commissioner will allocate more police officers to the area; that is part of the equation that he uses to work out the numbers of police officers—the authorised strength. I do not think that the member has anything to be worried about, because all the while this government is in power and all the while that we have the dedicated police service that we know we have and that knows it has the government behind it and funding it adequately—in fact, more than adequately—and supporting it with housing, I think that the member will find that people will be very keen to go to live and work in the areas that he has mentioned.
Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, Leader of the Opposition! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be police officers and they will do a lot of the jobs our police officers do at the moment behind desks and — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will replace those police officers who at the moment are doing custodial work in lock houses and police stations with cells; they will take over all those jobs so that those fully sworn, fully trained, fully armed police officers can get out on the streets to carry out their front-line duties. We will be doing that. However, the member has asked about specific police allocations in South Hedland, Karratha and Newman. The police commissioner and his officers work out the strength needed in those areas. It is worked out on a very sensible basis because they have to allocate officers throughout the state. If there were a desperate need in any of the towns mentioned, they would allocate more police officers. Mr A.P. O’Gorman : How do they work it out? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I know that some of our new auxiliary officers will go to country police stations, thereby freeing up the police officers who work there. I think the member said that there were some at—was it South Hedland or somewhere else? I cannot remember what the member said. However, I assure the member that those auxiliary officers will not be based just in the metropolitan area. They will be allocated to some of our regional police stations. Mr B.J. Grylls : Minister, the $5 000 district allowance might help. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It certainly will. I will say that whether those areas get police officers is not a question of housing, because housing or housing assistance will be provided. Housing is not a factor in the member’s argument, if I can put it that way. Those towns in the Pilbara — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Members are interjecting again! Those districts will get the number of police officers that they need. If the population increases, the commissioner will allocate more police officers to the area; that is part of the equation that he uses to work out the numbers of police officers—the authorised strength. I do not think that the member has anything to be worried about, because all the while this government is in power and all the while that we have the dedicated police service that we know we have and that knows it has the government behind it and funding it adequately—in fact, more than adequately—and supporting it with housing, I think that the member will find that people will be very keen to go to live and work in the areas that he has mentioned.
The SPEAKER : Order, Leader of the Opposition! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be police officers and they will do a lot of the jobs our police officers do at the moment behind desks and — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will replace those police officers who at the moment are doing custodial work in lock houses and police stations with cells; they will take over all those jobs so that those fully sworn, fully trained, fully armed police officers can get out on the streets to carry out their front-line duties. We will be doing that. However, the member has asked about specific police allocations in South Hedland, Karratha and Newman. The police commissioner and his officers work out the strength needed in those areas. It is worked out on a very sensible basis because they have to allocate officers throughout the state. If there were a desperate need in any of the towns mentioned, they would allocate more police officers. Mr A.P. O’Gorman : How do they work it out? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I know that some of our new auxiliary officers will go to country police stations, thereby freeing up the police officers who work there. I think the member said that there were some at—was it South Hedland or somewhere else? I cannot remember what the member said. However, I assure the member that those auxiliary officers will not be based just in the metropolitan area. They will be allocated to some of our regional police stations. Mr B.J. Grylls : Minister, the $5 000 district allowance might help. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It certainly will. I will say that whether those areas get police officers is not a question of housing, because housing or housing assistance will be provided. Housing is not a factor in the member’s argument, if I can put it that way. Those towns in the Pilbara — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Members are interjecting again! Those districts will get the number of police officers that they need. If the population increases, the commissioner will allocate more police officers to the area; that is part of the equation that he uses to work out the numbers of police officers—the authorised strength. I do not think that the member has anything to be worried about, because all the while this government is in power and all the while that we have the dedicated police service that we know we have and that knows it has the government behind it and funding it adequately—in fact, more than adequately—and supporting it with housing, I think that the member will find that people will be very keen to go to live and work in the areas that he has mentioned.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be police officers and they will do a lot of the jobs our police officers do at the moment behind desks and — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will replace those police officers who at the moment are doing custodial work in lock houses and police stations with cells; they will take over all those jobs so that those fully sworn, fully trained, fully armed police officers can get out on the streets to carry out their front-line duties. We will be doing that. However, the member has asked about specific police allocations in South Hedland, Karratha and Newman. The police commissioner and his officers work out the strength needed in those areas. It is worked out on a very sensible basis because they have to allocate officers throughout the state. If there were a desperate need in any of the towns mentioned, they would allocate more police officers. Mr A.P. O’Gorman : How do they work it out? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I know that some of our new auxiliary officers will go to country police stations, thereby freeing up the police officers who work there. I think the member said that there were some at—was it South Hedland or somewhere else? I cannot remember what the member said. However, I assure the member that those auxiliary officers will not be based just in the metropolitan area. They will be allocated to some of our regional police stations. Mr B.J. Grylls : Minister, the $5 000 district allowance might help. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It certainly will. I will say that whether those areas get police officers is not a question of housing, because housing or housing assistance will be provided. Housing is not a factor in the member’s argument, if I can put it that way. Those towns in the Pilbara — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Members are interjecting again! Those districts will get the number of police officers that they need. If the population increases, the commissioner will allocate more police officers to the area; that is part of the equation that he uses to work out the numbers of police officers—the authorised strength. I do not think that the member has anything to be worried about, because all the while this government is in power and all the while that we have the dedicated police service that we know we have and that knows it has the government behind it and funding it adequately—in fact, more than adequately—and supporting it with housing, I think that the member will find that people will be very keen to go to live and work in the areas that he has mentioned.
Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will replace those police officers who at the moment are doing custodial work in lock houses and police stations with cells; they will take over all those jobs so that those fully sworn, fully trained, fully armed police officers can get out on the streets to carry out their front-line duties. We will be doing that. However, the member has asked about specific police allocations in South Hedland, Karratha and Newman. The police commissioner and his officers work out the strength needed in those areas. It is worked out on a very sensible basis because they have to allocate officers throughout the state. If there were a desperate need in any of the towns mentioned, they would allocate more police officers. Mr A.P. O’Gorman : How do they work it out? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I know that some of our new auxiliary officers will go to country police stations, thereby freeing up the police officers who work there. I think the member said that there were some at—was it South Hedland or somewhere else? I cannot remember what the member said. However, I assure the member that those auxiliary officers will not be based just in the metropolitan area. They will be allocated to some of our regional police stations. Mr B.J. Grylls : Minister, the $5 000 district allowance might help. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It certainly will. I will say that whether those areas get police officers is not a question of housing, because housing or housing assistance will be provided. Housing is not a factor in the member’s argument, if I can put it that way. Those towns in the Pilbara — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Members are interjecting again! Those districts will get the number of police officers that they need. If the population increases, the commissioner will allocate more police officers to the area; that is part of the equation that he uses to work out the numbers of police officers—the authorised strength. I do not think that the member has anything to be worried about, because all the while this government is in power and all the while that we have the dedicated police service that we know we have and that knows it has the government behind it and funding it adequately—in fact, more than adequately—and supporting it with housing, I think that the member will find that people will be very keen to go to live and work in the areas that he has mentioned.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will replace those police officers who at the moment are doing custodial work in lock houses and police stations with cells; they will take over all those jobs so that those fully sworn, fully trained, fully armed police officers can get out on the streets to carry out their front-line duties. We will be doing that. However, the member has asked about specific police allocations in South Hedland, Karratha and Newman. The police commissioner and his officers work out the strength needed in those areas. It is worked out on a very sensible basis because they have to allocate officers throughout the state. If there were a desperate need in any of the towns mentioned, they would allocate more police officers. Mr A.P. O’Gorman : How do they work it out? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I know that some of our new auxiliary officers will go to country police stations, thereby freeing up the police officers who work there. I think the member said that there were some at—was it South Hedland or somewhere else? I cannot remember what the member said. However, I assure the member that those auxiliary officers will not be based just in the metropolitan area. They will be allocated to some of our regional police stations. Mr B.J. Grylls : Minister, the $5 000 district allowance might help. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It certainly will. I will say that whether those areas get police officers is not a question of housing, because housing or housing assistance will be provided. Housing is not a factor in the member’s argument, if I can put it that way. Those towns in the Pilbara — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Members are interjecting again! Those districts will get the number of police officers that they need. If the population increases, the commissioner will allocate more police officers to the area; that is part of the equation that he uses to work out the numbers of police officers—the authorised strength. I do not think that the member has anything to be worried about, because all the while this government is in power and all the while that we have the dedicated police service that we know we have and that knows it has the government behind it and funding it adequately—in fact, more than adequately—and supporting it with housing, I think that the member will find that people will be very keen to go to live and work in the areas that he has mentioned.
However, the member has asked about specific police allocations in South Hedland, Karratha and Newman. The police commissioner and his officers work out the strength needed in those areas. It is worked out on a very sensible basis because they have to allocate officers throughout the state. If there were a desperate need in any of the towns mentioned, they would allocate more police officers. Mr A.P. O’Gorman : How do they work it out? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I know that some of our new auxiliary officers will go to country police stations, thereby freeing up the police officers who work there. I think the member said that there were some at—was it South Hedland or somewhere else? I cannot remember what the member said. However, I assure the member that those auxiliary officers will not be based just in the metropolitan area. They will be allocated to some of our regional police stations. Mr B.J. Grylls : Minister, the $5 000 district allowance might help. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It certainly will. I will say that whether those areas get police officers is not a question of housing, because housing or housing assistance will be provided. Housing is not a factor in the member’s argument, if I can put it that way. Those towns in the Pilbara — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Members are interjecting again! Those districts will get the number of police officers that they need. If the population increases, the commissioner will allocate more police officers to the area; that is part of the equation that he uses to work out the numbers of police officers—the authorised strength. I do not think that the member has anything to be worried about, because all the while this government is in power and all the while that we have the dedicated police service that we know we have and that knows it has the government behind it and funding it adequately—in fact, more than adequately—and supporting it with housing, I think that the member will find that people will be very keen to go to live and work in the areas that he has mentioned.
Mr A.P. O’Gorman : How do they work it out? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I know that some of our new auxiliary officers will go to country police stations, thereby freeing up the police officers who work there. I think the member said that there were some at—was it South Hedland or somewhere else? I cannot remember what the member said. However, I assure the member that those auxiliary officers will not be based just in the metropolitan area. They will be allocated to some of our regional police stations. Mr B.J. Grylls : Minister, the $5 000 district allowance might help. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It certainly will. I will say that whether those areas get police officers is not a question of housing, because housing or housing assistance will be provided. Housing is not a factor in the member’s argument, if I can put it that way. Those towns in the Pilbara — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Members are interjecting again! Those districts will get the number of police officers that they need. If the population increases, the commissioner will allocate more police officers to the area; that is part of the equation that he uses to work out the numbers of police officers—the authorised strength. I do not think that the member has anything to be worried about, because all the while this government is in power and all the while that we have the dedicated police service that we know we have and that knows it has the government behind it and funding it adequately—in fact, more than adequately—and supporting it with housing, I think that the member will find that people will be very keen to go to live and work in the areas that he has mentioned.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I know that some of our new auxiliary officers will go to country police stations, thereby freeing up the police officers who work there. I think the member said that there were some at—was it South Hedland or somewhere else? I cannot remember what the member said. However, I assure the member that those auxiliary officers will not be based just in the metropolitan area. They will be allocated to some of our regional police stations. Mr B.J. Grylls : Minister, the $5 000 district allowance might help. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It certainly will. I will say that whether those areas get police officers is not a question of housing, because housing or housing assistance will be provided. Housing is not a factor in the member’s argument, if I can put it that way. Those towns in the Pilbara — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Members are interjecting again! Those districts will get the number of police officers that they need. If the population increases, the commissioner will allocate more police officers to the area; that is part of the equation that he uses to work out the numbers of police officers—the authorised strength. I do not think that the member has anything to be worried about, because all the while this government is in power and all the while that we have the dedicated police service that we know we have and that knows it has the government behind it and funding it adequately—in fact, more than adequately—and supporting it with housing, I think that the member will find that people will be very keen to go to live and work in the areas that he has mentioned.
Mr B.J. Grylls : Minister, the $5 000 district allowance might help. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It certainly will. I will say that whether those areas get police officers is not a question of housing, because housing or housing assistance will be provided. Housing is not a factor in the member’s argument, if I can put it that way. Those towns in the Pilbara — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Members are interjecting again! Those districts will get the number of police officers that they need. If the population increases, the commissioner will allocate more police officers to the area; that is part of the equation that he uses to work out the numbers of police officers—the authorised strength. I do not think that the member has anything to be worried about, because all the while this government is in power and all the while that we have the dedicated police service that we know we have and that knows it has the government behind it and funding it adequately—in fact, more than adequately—and supporting it with housing, I think that the member will find that people will be very keen to go to live and work in the areas that he has mentioned.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It certainly will. I will say that whether those areas get police officers is not a question of housing, because housing or housing assistance will be provided. Housing is not a factor in the member’s argument, if I can put it that way. Those towns in the Pilbara — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Members are interjecting again! Those districts will get the number of police officers that they need. If the population increases, the commissioner will allocate more police officers to the area; that is part of the equation that he uses to work out the numbers of police officers—the authorised strength. I do not think that the member has anything to be worried about, because all the while this government is in power and all the while that we have the dedicated police service that we know we have and that knows it has the government behind it and funding it adequately—in fact, more than adequately—and supporting it with housing, I think that the member will find that people will be very keen to go to live and work in the areas that he has mentioned.
I will say that whether those areas get police officers is not a question of housing, because housing or housing assistance will be provided. Housing is not a factor in the member’s argument, if I can put it that way. Those towns in the Pilbara — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Members are interjecting again! Those districts will get the number of police officers that they need. If the population increases, the commissioner will allocate more police officers to the area; that is part of the equation that he uses to work out the numbers of police officers—the authorised strength. I do not think that the member has anything to be worried about, because all the while this government is in power and all the while that we have the dedicated police service that we know we have and that knows it has the government behind it and funding it adequately—in fact, more than adequately—and supporting it with housing, I think that the member will find that people will be very keen to go to live and work in the areas that he has mentioned.
Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Members are interjecting again! Those districts will get the number of police officers that they need. If the population increases, the commissioner will allocate more police officers to the area; that is part of the equation that he uses to work out the numbers of police officers—the authorised strength. I do not think that the member has anything to be worried about, because all the while this government is in power and all the while that we have the dedicated police service that we know we have and that knows it has the government behind it and funding it adequately—in fact, more than adequately—and supporting it with housing, I think that the member will find that people will be very keen to go to live and work in the areas that he has mentioned.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Members are interjecting again! Those districts will get the number of police officers that they need. If the population increases, the commissioner will allocate more police officers to the area; that is part of the equation that he uses to work out the numbers of police officers—the authorised strength. I do not think that the member has anything to be worried about, because all the while this government is in power and all the while that we have the dedicated police service that we know we have and that knows it has the government behind it and funding it adequately—in fact, more than adequately—and supporting it with housing, I think that the member will find that people will be very keen to go to live and work in the areas that he has mentioned.
Those districts will get the number of police officers that they need. If the population increases, the commissioner will allocate more police officers to the area; that is part of the equation that he uses to work out the numbers of police officers—the authorised strength. I do not think that the member has anything to be worried about, because all the while this government is in power and all the while that we have the dedicated police service that we know we have and that knows it has the government behind it and funding it adequately—in fact, more than adequately—and supporting it with housing, I think that the member will find that people will be very keen to go to live and work in the areas that he has mentioned.
I do not think that the member has anything to be worried about, because all the while this government is in power and all the while that we have the dedicated police service that we know we have and that knows it has the government behind it and funding it adequately—in fact, more than adequately—and supporting it with housing, I think that the member will find that people will be very keen to go to live and work in the areas that he has mentioned.
(2) Does the minister consider it an adequate response given the population in the Pilbara has almost doubled in the past five years and there are increasing numbers of fly in, fly out workers in the region? (3) Has the Pilbara been let down because of the costs of housing the police officers themselves? (4) Does the minister concede that, as a result of these pressures, the Pilbara will struggle with increasing crime in the region? Mr R.F. JOHNSON replied: (1)–(4) I will just say that the Pilbara will not struggle. I have every confidence in the way that the Commissioner of Police allocates his police officers. Over the course of our term of government, we will be putting on more police officers than members opposite could have dreamt of doing. Mr E.S. Ripper : You are putting on less than you promised and less than we promised. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : We heard all about the Leader of the Opposition’s promises in the past and we do not take those promises — Mr E.S. Ripper : We delivered on those promises. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : No; Labor did not deliver. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : In total, we will put on a minimum of 500 police officers including 350 fully sworn officers and 150 police auxiliary officers. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, Leader of the Opposition! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be police officers and they will do a lot of the jobs our police officers do at the moment behind desks and — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will replace those police officers who at the moment are doing custodial work in lock houses and police stations with cells; they will take over all those jobs so that those fully sworn, fully trained, fully armed police officers can get out on the streets to carry out their front-line duties. We will be doing that. However, the member has asked about specific police allocations in South Hedland, Karratha and Newman. The police commissioner and his officers work out the strength needed in those areas. It is worked out on a very sensible basis because they have to allocate officers throughout the state. If there were a desperate need in any of the towns mentioned, they would allocate more police officers. Mr A.P. O’Gorman : How do they work it out? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I know that some of our new auxiliary officers will go to country police stations, thereby freeing up the police officers who work there. I think the member said that there were some at—was it South Hedland or somewhere else? I cannot remember what the member said. However, I assure the member that those auxiliary officers will not be based just in the metropolitan area. They will be allocated to some of our regional police stations. Mr B.J. Grylls : Minister, the $5 000 district allowance might help. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It certainly will. I will say that whether those areas get police officers is not a question of housing, because housing or housing assistance will be provided. Housing is not a factor in the member’s argument, if I can put it that way. Those towns in the Pilbara — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Members are interjecting again! Those districts will get the number of police officers that they need. If the population increases, the commissioner will allocate more police officers to the area; that is part of the equation that he uses to work out the numbers of police officers—the authorised strength. I do not think that the member has anything to be worried about, because all the while this government is in power and all the while that we have the dedicated police service that we know we have and that knows it has the government behind it and funding it adequately—in fact, more than adequately—and supporting it with housing, I think that the member will find that people will be very keen to go to live and work in the areas that he has mentioned.
(3) Has the Pilbara been let down because of the costs of housing the police officers themselves? (4) Does the minister concede that, as a result of these pressures, the Pilbara will struggle with increasing crime in the region? Mr R.F. JOHNSON replied: (1)–(4) I will just say that the Pilbara will not struggle. I have every confidence in the way that the Commissioner of Police allocates his police officers. Over the course of our term of government, we will be putting on more police officers than members opposite could have dreamt of doing. Mr E.S. Ripper : You are putting on less than you promised and less than we promised. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : We heard all about the Leader of the Opposition’s promises in the past and we do not take those promises — Mr E.S. Ripper : We delivered on those promises. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : No; Labor did not deliver. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : In total, we will put on a minimum of 500 police officers including 350 fully sworn officers and 150 police auxiliary officers. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, Leader of the Opposition! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be police officers and they will do a lot of the jobs our police officers do at the moment behind desks and — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will replace those police officers who at the moment are doing custodial work in lock houses and police stations with cells; they will take over all those jobs so that those fully sworn, fully trained, fully armed police officers can get out on the streets to carry out their front-line duties. We will be doing that. However, the member has asked about specific police allocations in South Hedland, Karratha and Newman. The police commissioner and his officers work out the strength needed in those areas. It is worked out on a very sensible basis because they have to allocate officers throughout the state. If there were a desperate need in any of the towns mentioned, they would allocate more police officers. Mr A.P. O’Gorman : How do they work it out? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I know that some of our new auxiliary officers will go to country police stations, thereby freeing up the police officers who work there. I think the member said that there were some at—was it South Hedland or somewhere else? I cannot remember what the member said. However, I assure the member that those auxiliary officers will not be based just in the metropolitan area. They will be allocated to some of our regional police stations. Mr B.J. Grylls : Minister, the $5 000 district allowance might help. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It certainly will. I will say that whether those areas get police officers is not a question of housing, because housing or housing assistance will be provided. Housing is not a factor in the member’s argument, if I can put it that way. Those towns in the Pilbara — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Members are interjecting again! Those districts will get the number of police officers that they need. If the population increases, the commissioner will allocate more police officers to the area; that is part of the equation that he uses to work out the numbers of police officers—the authorised strength. I do not think that the member has anything to be worried about, because all the while this government is in power and all the while that we have the dedicated police service that we know we have and that knows it has the government behind it and funding it adequately—in fact, more than adequately—and supporting it with housing, I think that the member will find that people will be very keen to go to live and work in the areas that he has mentioned.
(4) Does the minister concede that, as a result of these pressures, the Pilbara will struggle with increasing crime in the region? Mr R.F. JOHNSON replied: (1)–(4) I will just say that the Pilbara will not struggle. I have every confidence in the way that the Commissioner of Police allocates his police officers. Over the course of our term of government, we will be putting on more police officers than members opposite could have dreamt of doing. Mr E.S. Ripper : You are putting on less than you promised and less than we promised. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : We heard all about the Leader of the Opposition’s promises in the past and we do not take those promises — Mr E.S. Ripper : We delivered on those promises. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : No; Labor did not deliver. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : In total, we will put on a minimum of 500 police officers including 350 fully sworn officers and 150 police auxiliary officers. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, Leader of the Opposition! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be police officers and they will do a lot of the jobs our police officers do at the moment behind desks and — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will replace those police officers who at the moment are doing custodial work in lock houses and police stations with cells; they will take over all those jobs so that those fully sworn, fully trained, fully armed police officers can get out on the streets to carry out their front-line duties. We will be doing that. However, the member has asked about specific police allocations in South Hedland, Karratha and Newman. The police commissioner and his officers work out the strength needed in those areas. It is worked out on a very sensible basis because they have to allocate officers throughout the state. If there were a desperate need in any of the towns mentioned, they would allocate more police officers. Mr A.P. O’Gorman : How do they work it out? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I know that some of our new auxiliary officers will go to country police stations, thereby freeing up the police officers who work there. I think the member said that there were some at—was it South Hedland or somewhere else? I cannot remember what the member said. However, I assure the member that those auxiliary officers will not be based just in the metropolitan area. They will be allocated to some of our regional police stations. Mr B.J. Grylls : Minister, the $5 000 district allowance might help. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It certainly will. I will say that whether those areas get police officers is not a question of housing, because housing or housing assistance will be provided. Housing is not a factor in the member’s argument, if I can put it that way. Those towns in the Pilbara — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Members are interjecting again! Those districts will get the number of police officers that they need. If the population increases, the commissioner will allocate more police officers to the area; that is part of the equation that he uses to work out the numbers of police officers—the authorised strength. I do not think that the member has anything to be worried about, because all the while this government is in power and all the while that we have the dedicated police service that we know we have and that knows it has the government behind it and funding it adequately—in fact, more than adequately—and supporting it with housing, I think that the member will find that people will be very keen to go to live and work in the areas that he has mentioned.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON replied: (1)–(4) I will just say that the Pilbara will not struggle. I have every confidence in the way that the Commissioner of Police allocates his police officers. Over the course of our term of government, we will be putting on more police officers than members opposite could have dreamt of doing. Mr E.S. Ripper : You are putting on less than you promised and less than we promised. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : We heard all about the Leader of the Opposition’s promises in the past and we do not take those promises — Mr E.S. Ripper : We delivered on those promises. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : No; Labor did not deliver. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : In total, we will put on a minimum of 500 police officers including 350 fully sworn officers and 150 police auxiliary officers. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, Leader of the Opposition! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be police officers and they will do a lot of the jobs our police officers do at the moment behind desks and — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will replace those police officers who at the moment are doing custodial work in lock houses and police stations with cells; they will take over all those jobs so that those fully sworn, fully trained, fully armed police officers can get out on the streets to carry out their front-line duties. We will be doing that. However, the member has asked about specific police allocations in South Hedland, Karratha and Newman. The police commissioner and his officers work out the strength needed in those areas. It is worked out on a very sensible basis because they have to allocate officers throughout the state. If there were a desperate need in any of the towns mentioned, they would allocate more police officers. Mr A.P. O’Gorman : How do they work it out? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I know that some of our new auxiliary officers will go to country police stations, thereby freeing up the police officers who work there. I think the member said that there were some at—was it South Hedland or somewhere else? I cannot remember what the member said. However, I assure the member that those auxiliary officers will not be based just in the metropolitan area. They will be allocated to some of our regional police stations. Mr B.J. Grylls : Minister, the $5 000 district allowance might help. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It certainly will. I will say that whether those areas get police officers is not a question of housing, because housing or housing assistance will be provided. Housing is not a factor in the member’s argument, if I can put it that way. Those towns in the Pilbara — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Members are interjecting again! Those districts will get the number of police officers that they need. If the population increases, the commissioner will allocate more police officers to the area; that is part of the equation that he uses to work out the numbers of police officers—the authorised strength. I do not think that the member has anything to be worried about, because all the while this government is in power and all the while that we have the dedicated police service that we know we have and that knows it has the government behind it and funding it adequately—in fact, more than adequately—and supporting it with housing, I think that the member will find that people will be very keen to go to live and work in the areas that he has mentioned.
(1)–(4) I will just say that the Pilbara will not struggle. I have every confidence in the way that the Commissioner of Police allocates his police officers. Over the course of our term of government, we will be putting on more police officers than members opposite could have dreamt of doing. Mr E.S. Ripper : You are putting on less than you promised and less than we promised. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : We heard all about the Leader of the Opposition’s promises in the past and we do not take those promises — Mr E.S. Ripper : We delivered on those promises. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : No; Labor did not deliver. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : In total, we will put on a minimum of 500 police officers including 350 fully sworn officers and 150 police auxiliary officers. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, Leader of the Opposition! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be police officers and they will do a lot of the jobs our police officers do at the moment behind desks and — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will replace those police officers who at the moment are doing custodial work in lock houses and police stations with cells; they will take over all those jobs so that those fully sworn, fully trained, fully armed police officers can get out on the streets to carry out their front-line duties. We will be doing that. However, the member has asked about specific police allocations in South Hedland, Karratha and Newman. The police commissioner and his officers work out the strength needed in those areas. It is worked out on a very sensible basis because they have to allocate officers throughout the state. If there were a desperate need in any of the towns mentioned, they would allocate more police officers. Mr A.P. O’Gorman : How do they work it out? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I know that some of our new auxiliary officers will go to country police stations, thereby freeing up the police officers who work there. I think the member said that there were some at—was it South Hedland or somewhere else? I cannot remember what the member said. However, I assure the member that those auxiliary officers will not be based just in the metropolitan area. They will be allocated to some of our regional police stations. Mr B.J. Grylls : Minister, the $5 000 district allowance might help. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It certainly will. I will say that whether those areas get police officers is not a question of housing, because housing or housing assistance will be provided. Housing is not a factor in the member’s argument, if I can put it that way. Those towns in the Pilbara — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Members are interjecting again! Those districts will get the number of police officers that they need. If the population increases, the commissioner will allocate more police officers to the area; that is part of the equation that he uses to work out the numbers of police officers—the authorised strength. I do not think that the member has anything to be worried about, because all the while this government is in power and all the while that we have the dedicated police service that we know we have and that knows it has the government behind it and funding it adequately—in fact, more than adequately—and supporting it with housing, I think that the member will find that people will be very keen to go to live and work in the areas that he has mentioned.
Mr E.S. Ripper : You are putting on less than you promised and less than we promised. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : We heard all about the Leader of the Opposition’s promises in the past and we do not take those promises — Mr E.S. Ripper : We delivered on those promises. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : No; Labor did not deliver. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : In total, we will put on a minimum of 500 police officers including 350 fully sworn officers and 150 police auxiliary officers. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, Leader of the Opposition! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be police officers and they will do a lot of the jobs our police officers do at the moment behind desks and — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will replace those police officers who at the moment are doing custodial work in lock houses and police stations with cells; they will take over all those jobs so that those fully sworn, fully trained, fully armed police officers can get out on the streets to carry out their front-line duties. We will be doing that. However, the member has asked about specific police allocations in South Hedland, Karratha and Newman. The police commissioner and his officers work out the strength needed in those areas. It is worked out on a very sensible basis because they have to allocate officers throughout the state. If there were a desperate need in any of the towns mentioned, they would allocate more police officers. Mr A.P. O’Gorman : How do they work it out? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I know that some of our new auxiliary officers will go to country police stations, thereby freeing up the police officers who work there. I think the member said that there were some at—was it South Hedland or somewhere else? I cannot remember what the member said. However, I assure the member that those auxiliary officers will not be based just in the metropolitan area. They will be allocated to some of our regional police stations. Mr B.J. Grylls : Minister, the $5 000 district allowance might help. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It certainly will. I will say that whether those areas get police officers is not a question of housing, because housing or housing assistance will be provided. Housing is not a factor in the member’s argument, if I can put it that way. Those towns in the Pilbara — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Members are interjecting again! Those districts will get the number of police officers that they need. If the population increases, the commissioner will allocate more police officers to the area; that is part of the equation that he uses to work out the numbers of police officers—the authorised strength. I do not think that the member has anything to be worried about, because all the while this government is in power and all the while that we have the dedicated police service that we know we have and that knows it has the government behind it and funding it adequately—in fact, more than adequately—and supporting it with housing, I think that the member will find that people will be very keen to go to live and work in the areas that he has mentioned.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : We heard all about the Leader of the Opposition’s promises in the past and we do not take those promises — Mr E.S. Ripper : We delivered on those promises. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : No; Labor did not deliver. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : In total, we will put on a minimum of 500 police officers including 350 fully sworn officers and 150 police auxiliary officers. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, Leader of the Opposition! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be police officers and they will do a lot of the jobs our police officers do at the moment behind desks and — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will replace those police officers who at the moment are doing custodial work in lock houses and police stations with cells; they will take over all those jobs so that those fully sworn, fully trained, fully armed police officers can get out on the streets to carry out their front-line duties. We will be doing that. However, the member has asked about specific police allocations in South Hedland, Karratha and Newman. The police commissioner and his officers work out the strength needed in those areas. It is worked out on a very sensible basis because they have to allocate officers throughout the state. If there were a desperate need in any of the towns mentioned, they would allocate more police officers. Mr A.P. O’Gorman : How do they work it out? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I know that some of our new auxiliary officers will go to country police stations, thereby freeing up the police officers who work there. I think the member said that there were some at—was it South Hedland or somewhere else? I cannot remember what the member said. However, I assure the member that those auxiliary officers will not be based just in the metropolitan area. They will be allocated to some of our regional police stations. Mr B.J. Grylls : Minister, the $5 000 district allowance might help. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It certainly will. I will say that whether those areas get police officers is not a question of housing, because housing or housing assistance will be provided. Housing is not a factor in the member’s argument, if I can put it that way. Those towns in the Pilbara — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Members are interjecting again! Those districts will get the number of police officers that they need. If the population increases, the commissioner will allocate more police officers to the area; that is part of the equation that he uses to work out the numbers of police officers—the authorised strength. I do not think that the member has anything to be worried about, because all the while this government is in power and all the while that we have the dedicated police service that we know we have and that knows it has the government behind it and funding it adequately—in fact, more than adequately—and supporting it with housing, I think that the member will find that people will be very keen to go to live and work in the areas that he has mentioned.
Mr E.S. Ripper : We delivered on those promises. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : No; Labor did not deliver. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : In total, we will put on a minimum of 500 police officers including 350 fully sworn officers and 150 police auxiliary officers. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, Leader of the Opposition! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be police officers and they will do a lot of the jobs our police officers do at the moment behind desks and — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will replace those police officers who at the moment are doing custodial work in lock houses and police stations with cells; they will take over all those jobs so that those fully sworn, fully trained, fully armed police officers can get out on the streets to carry out their front-line duties. We will be doing that. However, the member has asked about specific police allocations in South Hedland, Karratha and Newman. The police commissioner and his officers work out the strength needed in those areas. It is worked out on a very sensible basis because they have to allocate officers throughout the state. If there were a desperate need in any of the towns mentioned, they would allocate more police officers. Mr A.P. O’Gorman : How do they work it out? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I know that some of our new auxiliary officers will go to country police stations, thereby freeing up the police officers who work there. I think the member said that there were some at—was it South Hedland or somewhere else? I cannot remember what the member said. However, I assure the member that those auxiliary officers will not be based just in the metropolitan area. They will be allocated to some of our regional police stations. Mr B.J. Grylls : Minister, the $5 000 district allowance might help. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It certainly will. I will say that whether those areas get police officers is not a question of housing, because housing or housing assistance will be provided. Housing is not a factor in the member’s argument, if I can put it that way. Those towns in the Pilbara — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Members are interjecting again! Those districts will get the number of police officers that they need. If the population increases, the commissioner will allocate more police officers to the area; that is part of the equation that he uses to work out the numbers of police officers—the authorised strength. I do not think that the member has anything to be worried about, because all the while this government is in power and all the while that we have the dedicated police service that we know we have and that knows it has the government behind it and funding it adequately—in fact, more than adequately—and supporting it with housing, I think that the member will find that people will be very keen to go to live and work in the areas that he has mentioned.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : No; Labor did not deliver. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : In total, we will put on a minimum of 500 police officers including 350 fully sworn officers and 150 police auxiliary officers. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, Leader of the Opposition! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be police officers and they will do a lot of the jobs our police officers do at the moment behind desks and — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will replace those police officers who at the moment are doing custodial work in lock houses and police stations with cells; they will take over all those jobs so that those fully sworn, fully trained, fully armed police officers can get out on the streets to carry out their front-line duties. We will be doing that. However, the member has asked about specific police allocations in South Hedland, Karratha and Newman. The police commissioner and his officers work out the strength needed in those areas. It is worked out on a very sensible basis because they have to allocate officers throughout the state. If there were a desperate need in any of the towns mentioned, they would allocate more police officers. Mr A.P. O’Gorman : How do they work it out? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I know that some of our new auxiliary officers will go to country police stations, thereby freeing up the police officers who work there. I think the member said that there were some at—was it South Hedland or somewhere else? I cannot remember what the member said. However, I assure the member that those auxiliary officers will not be based just in the metropolitan area. They will be allocated to some of our regional police stations. Mr B.J. Grylls : Minister, the $5 000 district allowance might help. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It certainly will. I will say that whether those areas get police officers is not a question of housing, because housing or housing assistance will be provided. Housing is not a factor in the member’s argument, if I can put it that way. Those towns in the Pilbara — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Members are interjecting again! Those districts will get the number of police officers that they need. If the population increases, the commissioner will allocate more police officers to the area; that is part of the equation that he uses to work out the numbers of police officers—the authorised strength. I do not think that the member has anything to be worried about, because all the while this government is in power and all the while that we have the dedicated police service that we know we have and that knows it has the government behind it and funding it adequately—in fact, more than adequately—and supporting it with housing, I think that the member will find that people will be very keen to go to live and work in the areas that he has mentioned.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : In total, we will put on a minimum of 500 police officers including 350 fully sworn officers and 150 police auxiliary officers. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, Leader of the Opposition! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be police officers and they will do a lot of the jobs our police officers do at the moment behind desks and — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will replace those police officers who at the moment are doing custodial work in lock houses and police stations with cells; they will take over all those jobs so that those fully sworn, fully trained, fully armed police officers can get out on the streets to carry out their front-line duties. We will be doing that. However, the member has asked about specific police allocations in South Hedland, Karratha and Newman. The police commissioner and his officers work out the strength needed in those areas. It is worked out on a very sensible basis because they have to allocate officers throughout the state. If there were a desperate need in any of the towns mentioned, they would allocate more police officers. Mr A.P. O’Gorman : How do they work it out? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I know that some of our new auxiliary officers will go to country police stations, thereby freeing up the police officers who work there. I think the member said that there were some at—was it South Hedland or somewhere else? I cannot remember what the member said. However, I assure the member that those auxiliary officers will not be based just in the metropolitan area. They will be allocated to some of our regional police stations. Mr B.J. Grylls : Minister, the $5 000 district allowance might help. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It certainly will. I will say that whether those areas get police officers is not a question of housing, because housing or housing assistance will be provided. Housing is not a factor in the member’s argument, if I can put it that way. Those towns in the Pilbara — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Members are interjecting again! Those districts will get the number of police officers that they need. If the population increases, the commissioner will allocate more police officers to the area; that is part of the equation that he uses to work out the numbers of police officers—the authorised strength. I do not think that the member has anything to be worried about, because all the while this government is in power and all the while that we have the dedicated police service that we know we have and that knows it has the government behind it and funding it adequately—in fact, more than adequately—and supporting it with housing, I think that the member will find that people will be very keen to go to live and work in the areas that he has mentioned.
The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : In total, we will put on a minimum of 500 police officers including 350 fully sworn officers and 150 police auxiliary officers. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, Leader of the Opposition! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be police officers and they will do a lot of the jobs our police officers do at the moment behind desks and — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will replace those police officers who at the moment are doing custodial work in lock houses and police stations with cells; they will take over all those jobs so that those fully sworn, fully trained, fully armed police officers can get out on the streets to carry out their front-line duties. We will be doing that. However, the member has asked about specific police allocations in South Hedland, Karratha and Newman. The police commissioner and his officers work out the strength needed in those areas. It is worked out on a very sensible basis because they have to allocate officers throughout the state. If there were a desperate need in any of the towns mentioned, they would allocate more police officers. Mr A.P. O’Gorman : How do they work it out? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I know that some of our new auxiliary officers will go to country police stations, thereby freeing up the police officers who work there. I think the member said that there were some at—was it South Hedland or somewhere else? I cannot remember what the member said. However, I assure the member that those auxiliary officers will not be based just in the metropolitan area. They will be allocated to some of our regional police stations. Mr B.J. Grylls : Minister, the $5 000 district allowance might help. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It certainly will. I will say that whether those areas get police officers is not a question of housing, because housing or housing assistance will be provided. Housing is not a factor in the member’s argument, if I can put it that way. Those towns in the Pilbara — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Members are interjecting again! Those districts will get the number of police officers that they need. If the population increases, the commissioner will allocate more police officers to the area; that is part of the equation that he uses to work out the numbers of police officers—the authorised strength. I do not think that the member has anything to be worried about, because all the while this government is in power and all the while that we have the dedicated police service that we know we have and that knows it has the government behind it and funding it adequately—in fact, more than adequately—and supporting it with housing, I think that the member will find that people will be very keen to go to live and work in the areas that he has mentioned.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : In total, we will put on a minimum of 500 police officers including 350 fully sworn officers and 150 police auxiliary officers. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, Leader of the Opposition! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be police officers and they will do a lot of the jobs our police officers do at the moment behind desks and — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will replace those police officers who at the moment are doing custodial work in lock houses and police stations with cells; they will take over all those jobs so that those fully sworn, fully trained, fully armed police officers can get out on the streets to carry out their front-line duties. We will be doing that. However, the member has asked about specific police allocations in South Hedland, Karratha and Newman. The police commissioner and his officers work out the strength needed in those areas. It is worked out on a very sensible basis because they have to allocate officers throughout the state. If there were a desperate need in any of the towns mentioned, they would allocate more police officers. Mr A.P. O’Gorman : How do they work it out? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I know that some of our new auxiliary officers will go to country police stations, thereby freeing up the police officers who work there. I think the member said that there were some at—was it South Hedland or somewhere else? I cannot remember what the member said. However, I assure the member that those auxiliary officers will not be based just in the metropolitan area. They will be allocated to some of our regional police stations. Mr B.J. Grylls : Minister, the $5 000 district allowance might help. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It certainly will. I will say that whether those areas get police officers is not a question of housing, because housing or housing assistance will be provided. Housing is not a factor in the member’s argument, if I can put it that way. Those towns in the Pilbara — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Members are interjecting again! Those districts will get the number of police officers that they need. If the population increases, the commissioner will allocate more police officers to the area; that is part of the equation that he uses to work out the numbers of police officers—the authorised strength. I do not think that the member has anything to be worried about, because all the while this government is in power and all the while that we have the dedicated police service that we know we have and that knows it has the government behind it and funding it adequately—in fact, more than adequately—and supporting it with housing, I think that the member will find that people will be very keen to go to live and work in the areas that he has mentioned.
Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, Leader of the Opposition! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be police officers and they will do a lot of the jobs our police officers do at the moment behind desks and — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will replace those police officers who at the moment are doing custodial work in lock houses and police stations with cells; they will take over all those jobs so that those fully sworn, fully trained, fully armed police officers can get out on the streets to carry out their front-line duties. We will be doing that. However, the member has asked about specific police allocations in South Hedland, Karratha and Newman. The police commissioner and his officers work out the strength needed in those areas. It is worked out on a very sensible basis because they have to allocate officers throughout the state. If there were a desperate need in any of the towns mentioned, they would allocate more police officers. Mr A.P. O’Gorman : How do they work it out? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I know that some of our new auxiliary officers will go to country police stations, thereby freeing up the police officers who work there. I think the member said that there were some at—was it South Hedland or somewhere else? I cannot remember what the member said. However, I assure the member that those auxiliary officers will not be based just in the metropolitan area. They will be allocated to some of our regional police stations. Mr B.J. Grylls : Minister, the $5 000 district allowance might help. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It certainly will. I will say that whether those areas get police officers is not a question of housing, because housing or housing assistance will be provided. Housing is not a factor in the member’s argument, if I can put it that way. Those towns in the Pilbara — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Members are interjecting again! Those districts will get the number of police officers that they need. If the population increases, the commissioner will allocate more police officers to the area; that is part of the equation that he uses to work out the numbers of police officers—the authorised strength. I do not think that the member has anything to be worried about, because all the while this government is in power and all the while that we have the dedicated police service that we know we have and that knows it has the government behind it and funding it adequately—in fact, more than adequately—and supporting it with housing, I think that the member will find that people will be very keen to go to live and work in the areas that he has mentioned.
The SPEAKER : Order, Leader of the Opposition! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be police officers and they will do a lot of the jobs our police officers do at the moment behind desks and — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will replace those police officers who at the moment are doing custodial work in lock houses and police stations with cells; they will take over all those jobs so that those fully sworn, fully trained, fully armed police officers can get out on the streets to carry out their front-line duties. We will be doing that. However, the member has asked about specific police allocations in South Hedland, Karratha and Newman. The police commissioner and his officers work out the strength needed in those areas. It is worked out on a very sensible basis because they have to allocate officers throughout the state. If there were a desperate need in any of the towns mentioned, they would allocate more police officers. Mr A.P. O’Gorman : How do they work it out? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I know that some of our new auxiliary officers will go to country police stations, thereby freeing up the police officers who work there. I think the member said that there were some at—was it South Hedland or somewhere else? I cannot remember what the member said. However, I assure the member that those auxiliary officers will not be based just in the metropolitan area. They will be allocated to some of our regional police stations. Mr B.J. Grylls : Minister, the $5 000 district allowance might help. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It certainly will. I will say that whether those areas get police officers is not a question of housing, because housing or housing assistance will be provided. Housing is not a factor in the member’s argument, if I can put it that way. Those towns in the Pilbara — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Members are interjecting again! Those districts will get the number of police officers that they need. If the population increases, the commissioner will allocate more police officers to the area; that is part of the equation that he uses to work out the numbers of police officers—the authorised strength. I do not think that the member has anything to be worried about, because all the while this government is in power and all the while that we have the dedicated police service that we know we have and that knows it has the government behind it and funding it adequately—in fact, more than adequately—and supporting it with housing, I think that the member will find that people will be very keen to go to live and work in the areas that he has mentioned.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will be police officers and they will do a lot of the jobs our police officers do at the moment behind desks and — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will replace those police officers who at the moment are doing custodial work in lock houses and police stations with cells; they will take over all those jobs so that those fully sworn, fully trained, fully armed police officers can get out on the streets to carry out their front-line duties. We will be doing that. However, the member has asked about specific police allocations in South Hedland, Karratha and Newman. The police commissioner and his officers work out the strength needed in those areas. It is worked out on a very sensible basis because they have to allocate officers throughout the state. If there were a desperate need in any of the towns mentioned, they would allocate more police officers. Mr A.P. O’Gorman : How do they work it out? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I know that some of our new auxiliary officers will go to country police stations, thereby freeing up the police officers who work there. I think the member said that there were some at—was it South Hedland or somewhere else? I cannot remember what the member said. However, I assure the member that those auxiliary officers will not be based just in the metropolitan area. They will be allocated to some of our regional police stations. Mr B.J. Grylls : Minister, the $5 000 district allowance might help. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It certainly will. I will say that whether those areas get police officers is not a question of housing, because housing or housing assistance will be provided. Housing is not a factor in the member’s argument, if I can put it that way. Those towns in the Pilbara — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Members are interjecting again! Those districts will get the number of police officers that they need. If the population increases, the commissioner will allocate more police officers to the area; that is part of the equation that he uses to work out the numbers of police officers—the authorised strength. I do not think that the member has anything to be worried about, because all the while this government is in power and all the while that we have the dedicated police service that we know we have and that knows it has the government behind it and funding it adequately—in fact, more than adequately—and supporting it with housing, I think that the member will find that people will be very keen to go to live and work in the areas that he has mentioned.
Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will replace those police officers who at the moment are doing custodial work in lock houses and police stations with cells; they will take over all those jobs so that those fully sworn, fully trained, fully armed police officers can get out on the streets to carry out their front-line duties. We will be doing that. However, the member has asked about specific police allocations in South Hedland, Karratha and Newman. The police commissioner and his officers work out the strength needed in those areas. It is worked out on a very sensible basis because they have to allocate officers throughout the state. If there were a desperate need in any of the towns mentioned, they would allocate more police officers. Mr A.P. O’Gorman : How do they work it out? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I know that some of our new auxiliary officers will go to country police stations, thereby freeing up the police officers who work there. I think the member said that there were some at—was it South Hedland or somewhere else? I cannot remember what the member said. However, I assure the member that those auxiliary officers will not be based just in the metropolitan area. They will be allocated to some of our regional police stations. Mr B.J. Grylls : Minister, the $5 000 district allowance might help. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It certainly will. I will say that whether those areas get police officers is not a question of housing, because housing or housing assistance will be provided. Housing is not a factor in the member’s argument, if I can put it that way. Those towns in the Pilbara — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Members are interjecting again! Those districts will get the number of police officers that they need. If the population increases, the commissioner will allocate more police officers to the area; that is part of the equation that he uses to work out the numbers of police officers—the authorised strength. I do not think that the member has anything to be worried about, because all the while this government is in power and all the while that we have the dedicated police service that we know we have and that knows it has the government behind it and funding it adequately—in fact, more than adequately—and supporting it with housing, I think that the member will find that people will be very keen to go to live and work in the areas that he has mentioned.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : They will replace those police officers who at the moment are doing custodial work in lock houses and police stations with cells; they will take over all those jobs so that those fully sworn, fully trained, fully armed police officers can get out on the streets to carry out their front-line duties. We will be doing that. However, the member has asked about specific police allocations in South Hedland, Karratha and Newman. The police commissioner and his officers work out the strength needed in those areas. It is worked out on a very sensible basis because they have to allocate officers throughout the state. If there were a desperate need in any of the towns mentioned, they would allocate more police officers. Mr A.P. O’Gorman : How do they work it out? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I know that some of our new auxiliary officers will go to country police stations, thereby freeing up the police officers who work there. I think the member said that there were some at—was it South Hedland or somewhere else? I cannot remember what the member said. However, I assure the member that those auxiliary officers will not be based just in the metropolitan area. They will be allocated to some of our regional police stations. Mr B.J. Grylls : Minister, the $5 000 district allowance might help. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It certainly will. I will say that whether those areas get police officers is not a question of housing, because housing or housing assistance will be provided. Housing is not a factor in the member’s argument, if I can put it that way. Those towns in the Pilbara — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Members are interjecting again! Those districts will get the number of police officers that they need. If the population increases, the commissioner will allocate more police officers to the area; that is part of the equation that he uses to work out the numbers of police officers—the authorised strength. I do not think that the member has anything to be worried about, because all the while this government is in power and all the while that we have the dedicated police service that we know we have and that knows it has the government behind it and funding it adequately—in fact, more than adequately—and supporting it with housing, I think that the member will find that people will be very keen to go to live and work in the areas that he has mentioned.
However, the member has asked about specific police allocations in South Hedland, Karratha and Newman. The police commissioner and his officers work out the strength needed in those areas. It is worked out on a very sensible basis because they have to allocate officers throughout the state. If there were a desperate need in any of the towns mentioned, they would allocate more police officers. Mr A.P. O’Gorman : How do they work it out? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I know that some of our new auxiliary officers will go to country police stations, thereby freeing up the police officers who work there. I think the member said that there were some at—was it South Hedland or somewhere else? I cannot remember what the member said. However, I assure the member that those auxiliary officers will not be based just in the metropolitan area. They will be allocated to some of our regional police stations. Mr B.J. Grylls : Minister, the $5 000 district allowance might help. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It certainly will. I will say that whether those areas get police officers is not a question of housing, because housing or housing assistance will be provided. Housing is not a factor in the member’s argument, if I can put it that way. Those towns in the Pilbara — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Members are interjecting again! Those districts will get the number of police officers that they need. If the population increases, the commissioner will allocate more police officers to the area; that is part of the equation that he uses to work out the numbers of police officers—the authorised strength. I do not think that the member has anything to be worried about, because all the while this government is in power and all the while that we have the dedicated police service that we know we have and that knows it has the government behind it and funding it adequately—in fact, more than adequately—and supporting it with housing, I think that the member will find that people will be very keen to go to live and work in the areas that he has mentioned.
Mr A.P. O’Gorman : How do they work it out? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I know that some of our new auxiliary officers will go to country police stations, thereby freeing up the police officers who work there. I think the member said that there were some at—was it South Hedland or somewhere else? I cannot remember what the member said. However, I assure the member that those auxiliary officers will not be based just in the metropolitan area. They will be allocated to some of our regional police stations. Mr B.J. Grylls : Minister, the $5 000 district allowance might help. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It certainly will. I will say that whether those areas get police officers is not a question of housing, because housing or housing assistance will be provided. Housing is not a factor in the member’s argument, if I can put it that way. Those towns in the Pilbara — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Members are interjecting again! Those districts will get the number of police officers that they need. If the population increases, the commissioner will allocate more police officers to the area; that is part of the equation that he uses to work out the numbers of police officers—the authorised strength. I do not think that the member has anything to be worried about, because all the while this government is in power and all the while that we have the dedicated police service that we know we have and that knows it has the government behind it and funding it adequately—in fact, more than adequately—and supporting it with housing, I think that the member will find that people will be very keen to go to live and work in the areas that he has mentioned.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I know that some of our new auxiliary officers will go to country police stations, thereby freeing up the police officers who work there. I think the member said that there were some at—was it South Hedland or somewhere else? I cannot remember what the member said. However, I assure the member that those auxiliary officers will not be based just in the metropolitan area. They will be allocated to some of our regional police stations. Mr B.J. Grylls : Minister, the $5 000 district allowance might help. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It certainly will. I will say that whether those areas get police officers is not a question of housing, because housing or housing assistance will be provided. Housing is not a factor in the member’s argument, if I can put it that way. Those towns in the Pilbara — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Members are interjecting again! Those districts will get the number of police officers that they need. If the population increases, the commissioner will allocate more police officers to the area; that is part of the equation that he uses to work out the numbers of police officers—the authorised strength. I do not think that the member has anything to be worried about, because all the while this government is in power and all the while that we have the dedicated police service that we know we have and that knows it has the government behind it and funding it adequately—in fact, more than adequately—and supporting it with housing, I think that the member will find that people will be very keen to go to live and work in the areas that he has mentioned.
Mr B.J. Grylls : Minister, the $5 000 district allowance might help. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It certainly will. I will say that whether those areas get police officers is not a question of housing, because housing or housing assistance will be provided. Housing is not a factor in the member’s argument, if I can put it that way. Those towns in the Pilbara — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Members are interjecting again! Those districts will get the number of police officers that they need. If the population increases, the commissioner will allocate more police officers to the area; that is part of the equation that he uses to work out the numbers of police officers—the authorised strength. I do not think that the member has anything to be worried about, because all the while this government is in power and all the while that we have the dedicated police service that we know we have and that knows it has the government behind it and funding it adequately—in fact, more than adequately—and supporting it with housing, I think that the member will find that people will be very keen to go to live and work in the areas that he has mentioned.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It certainly will. I will say that whether those areas get police officers is not a question of housing, because housing or housing assistance will be provided. Housing is not a factor in the member’s argument, if I can put it that way. Those towns in the Pilbara — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Members are interjecting again! Those districts will get the number of police officers that they need. If the population increases, the commissioner will allocate more police officers to the area; that is part of the equation that he uses to work out the numbers of police officers—the authorised strength. I do not think that the member has anything to be worried about, because all the while this government is in power and all the while that we have the dedicated police service that we know we have and that knows it has the government behind it and funding it adequately—in fact, more than adequately—and supporting it with housing, I think that the member will find that people will be very keen to go to live and work in the areas that he has mentioned.
I will say that whether those areas get police officers is not a question of housing, because housing or housing assistance will be provided. Housing is not a factor in the member’s argument, if I can put it that way. Those towns in the Pilbara — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Members are interjecting again! Those districts will get the number of police officers that they need. If the population increases, the commissioner will allocate more police officers to the area; that is part of the equation that he uses to work out the numbers of police officers—the authorised strength. I do not think that the member has anything to be worried about, because all the while this government is in power and all the while that we have the dedicated police service that we know we have and that knows it has the government behind it and funding it adequately—in fact, more than adequately—and supporting it with housing, I think that the member will find that people will be very keen to go to live and work in the areas that he has mentioned.
Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Members are interjecting again! Those districts will get the number of police officers that they need. If the population increases, the commissioner will allocate more police officers to the area; that is part of the equation that he uses to work out the numbers of police officers—the authorised strength. I do not think that the member has anything to be worried about, because all the while this government is in power and all the while that we have the dedicated police service that we know we have and that knows it has the government behind it and funding it adequately—in fact, more than adequately—and supporting it with housing, I think that the member will find that people will be very keen to go to live and work in the areas that he has mentioned.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Members are interjecting again! Those districts will get the number of police officers that they need. If the population increases, the commissioner will allocate more police officers to the area; that is part of the equation that he uses to work out the numbers of police officers—the authorised strength. I do not think that the member has anything to be worried about, because all the while this government is in power and all the while that we have the dedicated police service that we know we have and that knows it has the government behind it and funding it adequately—in fact, more than adequately—and supporting it with housing, I think that the member will find that people will be very keen to go to live and work in the areas that he has mentioned.
Those districts will get the number of police officers that they need. If the population increases, the commissioner will allocate more police officers to the area; that is part of the equation that he uses to work out the numbers of police officers—the authorised strength. I do not think that the member has anything to be worried about, because all the while this government is in power and all the while that we have the dedicated police service that we know we have and that knows it has the government behind it and funding it adequately—in fact, more than adequately—and supporting it with housing, I think that the member will find that people will be very keen to go to live and work in the areas that he has mentioned.
I do not think that the member has anything to be worried about, because all the while this government is in power and all the while that we have the dedicated police service that we know we have and that knows it has the government behind it and funding it adequately—in fact, more than adequately—and supporting it with housing, I think that the member will find that people will be very keen to go to live and work in the areas that he has mentioned.
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