❓ Mrs. Hayden questions the Minister for Small Business about actions taken to address a reported 37% increase in shoplifting, specifically asking if he has requested additional police resources. The Minister dismisses the question as bizarre and irrelevant to his portfolio.
AnsweredQoN 603Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
SMALL BUSINESS — SHOPLIFTING
603. Mrs A.K. HAYDEN to the Minister for Small Business:
I have a supplementary question.
Given that the minister says that he is defending small business, has he
discussed this matter with the Minister for Police and what additional —
Ms S. Winton interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Wanneroo, I call you to order for the second time.
Mrs A.K. HAYDEN : Has the
Minister for Small Business discussed it with the Minister for Police and what
additional police resources has he requested of the minister to stop this
unacceptable attack on our small businesses, given that there has been a 37 per
cent spike in the last 12 months?
603. Mrs A.K. HAYDEN to the Minister for Small Business:
I have a supplementary question.
Given that the minister says that he is defending small business, has he
discussed this matter with the Minister for Police and what additional —
Ms S. Winton interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Wanneroo, I call you to order for the second time.
Mrs A.K. HAYDEN : Has the
Minister for Small Business discussed it with the Minister for Police and what
additional police resources has he requested of the minister to stop this
unacceptable attack on our small businesses, given that there has been a 37 per
cent spike in the last 12 months?
AnswerView source ↗
I
am a bit baffled by the line of questioning. Nevertheless, I am proud that we,
as a government, are taking action to ensure that people whose businesses go
out of business and do not pay subcontractors and then phoenix themselves will
not be able to do that again. We will stop that crime. I think that the police
minister and the police are normally on the case of people who do not pay for
petrol and drive off. We will always try to stop that crime. I am sure that the
police are aware that it is their responsibility to take action to attempt to
identify people who shoplift, arrest and prosecute them and make them pay for
the crimes that they have committed. The last time I looked, there was nothing
in the Western Australia Tourism Commission Act about drive-offs and failing to
pay for fuel at the petrol station or phoenixing companies and not paying
contractors. There is plenty of experience on the other side of the chamber
with those matters. There is plenty of knowledge on the other side of the
ledger about the good guys versus the bad guys in that regard. But pursuing
this bizarre line and suggesting that somehow the tourism minister or the small business minister should be responsible for running down the street
after shoplifters is just extraordinary. I know that the opposition is doing it
tough. I know it is hard, because when things are going pretty well, it is
bereft of ideas. This one is not a good one, so I say drop it and look for
another angle because this one is not going to work.
The SPEAKER : That is the end
of question time.
am a bit baffled by the line of questioning. Nevertheless, I am proud that we,
as a government, are taking action to ensure that people whose businesses go
out of business and do not pay subcontractors and then phoenix themselves will
not be able to do that again. We will stop that crime. I think that the police
minister and the police are normally on the case of people who do not pay for
petrol and drive off. We will always try to stop that crime. I am sure that the
police are aware that it is their responsibility to take action to attempt to
identify people who shoplift, arrest and prosecute them and make them pay for
the crimes that they have committed. The last time I looked, there was nothing
in the Western Australia Tourism Commission Act about drive-offs and failing to
pay for fuel at the petrol station or phoenixing companies and not paying
contractors. There is plenty of experience on the other side of the chamber
with those matters. There is plenty of knowledge on the other side of the
ledger about the good guys versus the bad guys in that regard. But pursuing
this bizarre line and suggesting that somehow the tourism minister or the small business minister should be responsible for running down the street
after shoplifters is just extraordinary. I know that the opposition is doing it
tough. I know it is hard, because when things are going pretty well, it is
bereft of ideas. This one is not a good one, so I say drop it and look for
another angle because this one is not going to work.
The SPEAKER : That is the end
of question time.
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