❓ Question regarding the appointment of custodial officers at Perth watch-house, with the Minister and Mrs Roberts in disagreement over which government initiated the change. The Minister accuses the Labor government of initiating the change and planning privatisation, while Mrs Roberts denies this.
AnsweredQoN 346Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
POLICE
WATCH-HOUSE — CUSTODY OFFICERS
346. Mrs M.H. ROBERTS to the Minister for Police:
I refer to the recent fake police officer issue.
Mr R.F. Johnson :
Recent what?
Mrs M.H. ROBERTS :
The fake police officer issue at the watch-house and other locations.
(1) Why did the minister advise the media that
the Labor government put custodial officers into the Perth watch-house to
replace sworn police officers?
(2) What are the documents the minister
alleges he has seen that prove that the Labor government appointed custodial
officers to the Perth watch-house?
(3) Does the minister have any idea, even
approximately, when custodial officers were first appointed to the Perth
watch-house?
WATCH-HOUSE — CUSTODY OFFICERS
346. Mrs M.H. ROBERTS to the Minister for Police:
I refer to the recent fake police officer issue.
Mr R.F. Johnson :
Recent what?
Mrs M.H. ROBERTS :
The fake police officer issue at the watch-house and other locations.
(1) Why did the minister advise the media that
the Labor government put custodial officers into the Perth watch-house to
replace sworn police officers?
(2) What are the documents the minister
alleges he has seen that prove that the Labor government appointed custodial
officers to the Perth watch-house?
(3) Does the minister have any idea, even
approximately, when custodial officers were first appointed to the Perth
watch-house?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(3)
Yes; I certainly did receive some briefing notes in relation to the custody
officers that were put into the Perth watch-house, and I think if the member is
honest she will admit that it was a Labor government initiative. I am told it
was discussed at cabinet in, I think, early 2008 or —
Mrs M.H. Roberts : To put custody
officers into the watch-house; is that what you are suggesting?
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Yes; that is what that
—
Mrs M.H. Roberts : So when did they go
in there?
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Let me just give the
member some detail.
Several
members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Thank
you, members.
Mr F.M. Logan : Are
you sure you are the Minister for Police or are you someone just standing in?
Mr R.F. JOHNSON :
You are almost humorous, you really are; you are almost humorous. For a bloke
from Croydon, you let Croydon down, I have got to tell you.
Let me just say this: I am told that on 24 September 2007,
cabinet granted approval for WA Police, the Department of Corrective Services,
the Department of the Attorney General and the State Solicitor's Office
to work together to transition to a private provider at Perth watch-house. I am
told that the Labor government was going to privatise the custody officers at
the Perth watch-house.
Mrs M.H. Roberts :
But we didn't.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON :
Can we look at the cabinet records, because that is what I am told? It was
initiated by the Labor government and by the time we came into government —
Mrs M.H. Roberts :
When did custody officers go in there and who put them there? Why won't
you admit you put them in the watch-house?
The SPEAKER :
Member for Midland!
Mr R.F. JOHNSON :
We did not; the Labor government did. We said we would put our auxiliary
officers into the Perth watch-house —
Mrs
M.H. Roberts : So you're saying we put custody officers in the
watch-house, are you?
Mr
R.F. JOHNSON : Yes; it was all put in train by the former Labor police
minister who was in charge of the watch-house at the time. The Labor government
was going to put custody officers in; that was initiated by the Labor
government. First of all, the Labor government was going to privatise it, then
I think the unions must have got onto it and said, ''You can't
do that; we can't privatise this area.'' So the Labor government
had a second thought and thought —
Mrs
M.H. Roberts : You're making this up as you go along.
Mr
R.F. JOHNSON : No, I am not. I am happy to supply stuff to the media if they
want to see the stuff I have. I know what the truth is, the member for Midland
knows what it is and the member for Balcatta knows exactly what it is because
he was the police minister at the time. The Labor government actually put
custody officers into the watch-house. Let me say how many police officers it
sent out from the watch-house to go to do front-line duties. I did not have a
problem with that, but let us be honest about it. The member for Midland has
been harping on and banging on saying that it is all the current government's
fault because we put auxiliary officers there. We are transitioning auxiliary
officers to take over from the custody officers as they progress out of the
organisation. The auxiliary officers are getting a lot more training than the
custody officers did under the Labor government. You cannot take the truth;
that is the problem with you, member from Midland.
Mr B.S. Wyatt : ''You
can't handle the truth'', I think is the line!
Mr R.F. JOHNSON :
She cannot handle the truth; she cannot. The member for Balcatta knows exactly
what I am saying and he is nodding.
Mr J.C. Kobelke :
Answer the question you were asked.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I
am answering the question. The member for Balcatta does not like the answer
because it is truthful.
Mr J.C. Kobelke :
Answer it; why can't you answer it?
Mr R.F. JOHNSON :
Why does the member for Balcatta not get up here and explain that what he is
hearing is the truth? I am telling the house what the truth is, my friend!
The SPEAKER : All I
want to hear is the rest of the answer you are providing, minister. I do not
want to hear interjections from anyone else. If the opportunity is provided, I
might allow the member for Midland to ask a supplementary question.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I
conclude on this note, because I am sure I will get a supplementary question. I
am telling the truth; the member for Balcatta knows that. He is a fairly
honourable gentleman, I think, in this place, and if the media ask him, he will
give an honest answer. The member from Midland has not got a clue. If she asked
the question, she should have an idea about what the answer is. She should be
told by the member for Balcatta that the Labor government instigated custody
officers and that it let a lot of police officers go from the Perth watch-house.
Mr M. McGowan interjected.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON :
Leader of the Opposition, this is true, I promise him. It is true.
Mrs M.H. Roberts :
You have given yourself a big noose here.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON :
No, I have not. We said from the word go that we would take on auxiliary
officers and they would take over the job in the Perth watch-house. Then I
found out that they would not take over from police officers; they would take
over from custody officers who did not have the same training as our auxiliary
officers. So, the member for Midland needs to get her facts right. She needs to
have a good long chat with her friend—he is in the same faction as her—and
he will tell her what the truth is.
Yes; I certainly did receive some briefing notes in relation to the custody
officers that were put into the Perth watch-house, and I think if the member is
honest she will admit that it was a Labor government initiative. I am told it
was discussed at cabinet in, I think, early 2008 or —
Mrs M.H. Roberts : To put custody
officers into the watch-house; is that what you are suggesting?
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Yes; that is what that
—
Mrs M.H. Roberts : So when did they go
in there?
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Let me just give the
member some detail.
Several
members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Thank
you, members.
Mr F.M. Logan : Are
you sure you are the Minister for Police or are you someone just standing in?
Mr R.F. JOHNSON :
You are almost humorous, you really are; you are almost humorous. For a bloke
from Croydon, you let Croydon down, I have got to tell you.
Let me just say this: I am told that on 24 September 2007,
cabinet granted approval for WA Police, the Department of Corrective Services,
the Department of the Attorney General and the State Solicitor's Office
to work together to transition to a private provider at Perth watch-house. I am
told that the Labor government was going to privatise the custody officers at
the Perth watch-house.
Mrs M.H. Roberts :
But we didn't.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON :
Can we look at the cabinet records, because that is what I am told? It was
initiated by the Labor government and by the time we came into government —
Mrs M.H. Roberts :
When did custody officers go in there and who put them there? Why won't
you admit you put them in the watch-house?
The SPEAKER :
Member for Midland!
Mr R.F. JOHNSON :
We did not; the Labor government did. We said we would put our auxiliary
officers into the Perth watch-house —
Mrs
M.H. Roberts : So you're saying we put custody officers in the
watch-house, are you?
Mr
R.F. JOHNSON : Yes; it was all put in train by the former Labor police
minister who was in charge of the watch-house at the time. The Labor government
was going to put custody officers in; that was initiated by the Labor
government. First of all, the Labor government was going to privatise it, then
I think the unions must have got onto it and said, ''You can't
do that; we can't privatise this area.'' So the Labor government
had a second thought and thought —
Mrs
M.H. Roberts : You're making this up as you go along.
Mr
R.F. JOHNSON : No, I am not. I am happy to supply stuff to the media if they
want to see the stuff I have. I know what the truth is, the member for Midland
knows what it is and the member for Balcatta knows exactly what it is because
he was the police minister at the time. The Labor government actually put
custody officers into the watch-house. Let me say how many police officers it
sent out from the watch-house to go to do front-line duties. I did not have a
problem with that, but let us be honest about it. The member for Midland has
been harping on and banging on saying that it is all the current government's
fault because we put auxiliary officers there. We are transitioning auxiliary
officers to take over from the custody officers as they progress out of the
organisation. The auxiliary officers are getting a lot more training than the
custody officers did under the Labor government. You cannot take the truth;
that is the problem with you, member from Midland.
Mr B.S. Wyatt : ''You
can't handle the truth'', I think is the line!
Mr R.F. JOHNSON :
She cannot handle the truth; she cannot. The member for Balcatta knows exactly
what I am saying and he is nodding.
Mr J.C. Kobelke :
Answer the question you were asked.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I
am answering the question. The member for Balcatta does not like the answer
because it is truthful.
Mr J.C. Kobelke :
Answer it; why can't you answer it?
Mr R.F. JOHNSON :
Why does the member for Balcatta not get up here and explain that what he is
hearing is the truth? I am telling the house what the truth is, my friend!
The SPEAKER : All I
want to hear is the rest of the answer you are providing, minister. I do not
want to hear interjections from anyone else. If the opportunity is provided, I
might allow the member for Midland to ask a supplementary question.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I
conclude on this note, because I am sure I will get a supplementary question. I
am telling the truth; the member for Balcatta knows that. He is a fairly
honourable gentleman, I think, in this place, and if the media ask him, he will
give an honest answer. The member from Midland has not got a clue. If she asked
the question, she should have an idea about what the answer is. She should be
told by the member for Balcatta that the Labor government instigated custody
officers and that it let a lot of police officers go from the Perth watch-house.
Mr M. McGowan interjected.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON :
Leader of the Opposition, this is true, I promise him. It is true.
Mrs M.H. Roberts :
You have given yourself a big noose here.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON :
No, I have not. We said from the word go that we would take on auxiliary
officers and they would take over the job in the Perth watch-house. Then I
found out that they would not take over from police officers; they would take
over from custody officers who did not have the same training as our auxiliary
officers. So, the member for Midland needs to get her facts right. She needs to
have a good long chat with her friend—he is in the same faction as her—and
he will tell her what the truth is.
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