❓ The Premier confirms the government is developing a curfew policy for unaccompanied juveniles in Northbridge, following a police crackdown that revealed a high number of young Aboriginal children at risk. The policy aims to protect vulnerable children and address antisocial behaviour.
AnsweredQoN 626Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Will the Premier confirm media reports that the Government is planning to introduce a curfew for juveniles in Northbridge? Dr G.I. GALLOP
AnswerView source ↗
The Office of Crime Prevention, in consultation with other government agencies, is developing a formal policy framework for a curfew to apply to unaccompanied juveniles in Northbridge. Operational details such as the hours that will apply and some other aspects of this policy are yet to be finalised. However, it will be in place by the middle of this year. The development of this policy follows a police crackdown in January, February and March this year. This resulted in 454 juveniles being apprehended in Northbridge, of which 404 were young Aboriginal children, two-thirds were girls, the majority were aged from 13 to 15 and the youngest was six years of age. The report to the Government also indicates that 20 per cent of those juveniles were under the influence of alcohol when they were apprehended. Under the policy that the Government is formulating, police and Department for Community Development officers will use existing powers under section 138B of the Child Welfare Act to remove from the streets unaccompanied children and keep them at the Juvenile Aid Group premises or another suitable location until parents or guardians are able to collect them or arrangements can be made to take them home. This policy will specifically target large groups of juveniles who are looking for trouble and are engaged in antisocial behaviour. If introduced, it will be part of a broader crime prevention strategy for Northbridge, which will take into account planning issues as well as lighting and other aspects. The police will need to retain some discretion in instances in which older teenagers may have legitimate reasons to be out at night, such as being on their way home from the movies or theatres. This is not a panacea for Northbridge. However, there is no doubt that it will help deal with the problems that have existed in Northbridge for some time, which have caused major difficulties for businesses and residents and undermined the amenity of that area. Importantly, the Government is interested in the welfare of those children. Not only are those children a menace to the rest of the community, but also they put themselves in vulnerable and risky situations. The Government intends to do something about that. It will not tolerate large numbers of unsupervised juveniles roaming the streets of Northbridge, making a nuisance of themselves, harassing the public and putting themselves at risk. The Government’s willingness to tackle the problem of child abuse in Western Australia indicates where it is coming from on issues such as this. It does not shy away from these problems. It does not sweep these problems under the carpet; it does something about them. We look forward to working with the local community and with representatives of Aboriginal communities in Western Australia to make sure that the interests of these young people are properly protected. Like many Western Australians, I am appalled by statistics that indicate that children as young as six are on the streets, unsupervised, and at risk in the Northbridge area. The Government intends to take a stand and to do something about it. The time has come for it to take action. The Government has initiated major consultation with the City of Perth. Excellent programs are running on the streets and some excellent non-government organisations are working in that area. However, we need to go further to make sure that the interests of those young people are protected and that the safety of the community is properly enhanced. Yet again, there is a big difference between the Government and the Opposition. The Opposition sweeps things under the carpet. The Government confronts issues and deals with them.
Dr G.I. GALLOP replied: The Office of Crime Prevention, in consultation with other government agencies, is developing a formal policy framework for a curfew to apply to unaccompanied juveniles in Northbridge. Operational details such as the hours that will apply and some other aspects of this policy are yet to be finalised. However, it will be in place by the middle of this year. The development of this policy follows a police crackdown in January, February and March this year. This resulted in 454 juveniles being apprehended in Northbridge, of which 404 were young Aboriginal children, two-thirds were girls, the majority were aged from 13 to 15 and the youngest was six years of age. The report to the Government also indicates that 20 per cent of those juveniles were under the influence of alcohol when they were apprehended. Under the policy that the Government is formulating, police and Department for Community Development officers will use existing powers under section 138B of the Child Welfare Act to remove from the streets unaccompanied children and keep them at the Juvenile Aid Group premises or another suitable location until parents or guardians are able to collect them or arrangements can be made to take them home. This policy will specifically target large groups of juveniles who are looking for trouble and are engaged in antisocial behaviour. If introduced, it will be part of a broader crime prevention strategy for Northbridge, which will take into account planning issues as well as lighting and other aspects. The police will need to retain some discretion in instances in which older teenagers may have legitimate reasons to be out at night, such as being on their way home from the movies or theatres. This is not a panacea for Northbridge. However, there is no doubt that it will help deal with the problems that have existed in Northbridge for some time, which have caused major difficulties for businesses and residents and undermined the amenity of that area. Importantly, the Government is interested in the welfare of those children. Not only are those children a menace to the rest of the community, but also they put themselves in vulnerable and risky situations. The Government intends to do something about that. It will not tolerate large numbers of unsupervised juveniles roaming the streets of Northbridge, making a nuisance of themselves, harassing the public and putting themselves at risk. The Government’s willingness to tackle the problem of child abuse in Western Australia indicates where it is coming from on issues such as this. It does not shy away from these problems. It does not sweep these problems under the carpet; it does something about them. We look forward to working with the local community and with representatives of Aboriginal communities in Western Australia to make sure that the interests of these young people are properly protected. Like many Western Australians, I am appalled by statistics that indicate that children as young as six are on the streets, unsupervised, and at risk in the Northbridge area. The Government intends to take a stand and to do something about it. The time has come for it to take action. The Government has initiated major consultation with the City of Perth. Excellent programs are running on the streets and some excellent non-government organisations are working in that area. However, we need to go further to make sure that the interests of those young people are protected and that the safety of the community is properly enhanced. Yet again, there is a big difference between the Government and the Opposition. The Opposition sweeps things under the carpet. The Government confronts issues and deals with them.
The Office of Crime Prevention, in consultation with other government agencies, is developing a formal policy framework for a curfew to apply to unaccompanied juveniles in Northbridge. Operational details such as the hours that will apply and some other aspects of this policy are yet to be finalised. However, it will be in place by the middle of this year. The development of this policy follows a police crackdown in January, February and March this year. This resulted in 454 juveniles being apprehended in Northbridge, of which 404 were young Aboriginal children, two-thirds were girls, the majority were aged from 13 to 15 and the youngest was six years of age. The report to the Government also indicates that 20 per cent of those juveniles were under the influence of alcohol when they were apprehended. Under the policy that the Government is formulating, police and Department for Community Development officers will use existing powers under section 138B of the Child Welfare Act to remove from the streets unaccompanied children and keep them at the Juvenile Aid Group premises or another suitable location until parents or guardians are able to collect them or arrangements can be made to take them home. This policy will specifically target large groups of juveniles who are looking for trouble and are engaged in antisocial behaviour. If introduced, it will be part of a broader crime prevention strategy for Northbridge, which will take into account planning issues as well as lighting and other aspects. The police will need to retain some discretion in instances in which older teenagers may have legitimate reasons to be out at night, such as being on their way home from the movies or theatres. This is not a panacea for Northbridge. However, there is no doubt that it will help deal with the problems that have existed in Northbridge for some time, which have caused major difficulties for businesses and residents and undermined the amenity of that area. Importantly, the Government is interested in the welfare of those children. Not only are those children a menace to the rest of the community, but also they put themselves in vulnerable and risky situations. The Government intends to do something about that. It will not tolerate large numbers of unsupervised juveniles roaming the streets of Northbridge, making a nuisance of themselves, harassing the public and putting themselves at risk. The Government’s willingness to tackle the problem of child abuse in Western Australia indicates where it is coming from on issues such as this. It does not shy away from these problems. It does not sweep these problems under the carpet; it does something about them. We look forward to working with the local community and with representatives of Aboriginal communities in Western Australia to make sure that the interests of these young people are properly protected. Like many Western Australians, I am appalled by statistics that indicate that children as young as six are on the streets, unsupervised, and at risk in the Northbridge area. The Government intends to take a stand and to do something about it. The time has come for it to take action. The Government has initiated major consultation with the City of Perth. Excellent programs are running on the streets and some excellent non-government organisations are working in that area. However, we need to go further to make sure that the interests of those young people are protected and that the safety of the community is properly enhanced. Yet again, there is a big difference between the Government and the Opposition. The Opposition sweeps things under the carpet. The Government confronts issues and deals with them.
The report to the Government also indicates that 20 per cent of those juveniles were under the influence of alcohol when they were apprehended. Under the policy that the Government is formulating, police and Department for Community Development officers will use existing powers under section 138B of the Child Welfare Act to remove from the streets unaccompanied children and keep them at the Juvenile Aid Group premises or another suitable location until parents or guardians are able to collect them or arrangements can be made to take them home. This policy will specifically target large groups of juveniles who are looking for trouble and are engaged in antisocial behaviour. If introduced, it will be part of a broader crime prevention strategy for Northbridge, which will take into account planning issues as well as lighting and other aspects. The police will need to retain some discretion in instances in which older teenagers may have legitimate reasons to be out at night, such as being on their way home from the movies or theatres. This is not a panacea for Northbridge. However, there is no doubt that it will help deal with the problems that have existed in Northbridge for some time, which have caused major difficulties for businesses and residents and undermined the amenity of that area. Importantly, the Government is interested in the welfare of those children. Not only are those children a menace to the rest of the community, but also they put themselves in vulnerable and risky situations. The Government intends to do something about that. It will not tolerate large numbers of unsupervised juveniles roaming the streets of Northbridge, making a nuisance of themselves, harassing the public and putting themselves at risk. The Government’s willingness to tackle the problem of child abuse in Western Australia indicates where it is coming from on issues such as this. It does not shy away from these problems. It does not sweep these problems under the carpet; it does something about them. We look forward to working with the local community and with representatives of Aboriginal communities in Western Australia to make sure that the interests of these young people are properly protected. Like many Western Australians, I am appalled by statistics that indicate that children as young as six are on the streets, unsupervised, and at risk in the Northbridge area. The Government intends to take a stand and to do something about it. The time has come for it to take action. The Government has initiated major consultation with the City of Perth. Excellent programs are running on the streets and some excellent non-government organisations are working in that area. However, we need to go further to make sure that the interests of those young people are protected and that the safety of the community is properly enhanced. Yet again, there is a big difference between the Government and the Opposition. The Opposition sweeps things under the carpet. The Government confronts issues and deals with them.
Importantly, the Government is interested in the welfare of those children. Not only are those children a menace to the rest of the community, but also they put themselves in vulnerable and risky situations. The Government intends to do something about that. It will not tolerate large numbers of unsupervised juveniles roaming the streets of Northbridge, making a nuisance of themselves, harassing the public and putting themselves at risk. The Government’s willingness to tackle the problem of child abuse in Western Australia indicates where it is coming from on issues such as this. It does not shy away from these problems. It does not sweep these problems under the carpet; it does something about them. We look forward to working with the local community and with representatives of Aboriginal communities in Western Australia to make sure that the interests of these young people are properly protected. Like many Western Australians, I am appalled by statistics that indicate that children as young as six are on the streets, unsupervised, and at risk in the Northbridge area. The Government intends to take a stand and to do something about it. The time has come for it to take action. The Government has initiated major consultation with the City of Perth. Excellent programs are running on the streets and some excellent non-government organisations are working in that area. However, we need to go further to make sure that the interests of those young people are protected and that the safety of the community is properly enhanced. Yet again, there is a big difference between the Government and the Opposition. The Opposition sweeps things under the carpet. The Government confronts issues and deals with them.
Dr G.I. GALLOP replied: The Office of Crime Prevention, in consultation with other government agencies, is developing a formal policy framework for a curfew to apply to unaccompanied juveniles in Northbridge. Operational details such as the hours that will apply and some other aspects of this policy are yet to be finalised. However, it will be in place by the middle of this year. The development of this policy follows a police crackdown in January, February and March this year. This resulted in 454 juveniles being apprehended in Northbridge, of which 404 were young Aboriginal children, two-thirds were girls, the majority were aged from 13 to 15 and the youngest was six years of age. The report to the Government also indicates that 20 per cent of those juveniles were under the influence of alcohol when they were apprehended. Under the policy that the Government is formulating, police and Department for Community Development officers will use existing powers under section 138B of the Child Welfare Act to remove from the streets unaccompanied children and keep them at the Juvenile Aid Group premises or another suitable location until parents or guardians are able to collect them or arrangements can be made to take them home. This policy will specifically target large groups of juveniles who are looking for trouble and are engaged in antisocial behaviour. If introduced, it will be part of a broader crime prevention strategy for Northbridge, which will take into account planning issues as well as lighting and other aspects. The police will need to retain some discretion in instances in which older teenagers may have legitimate reasons to be out at night, such as being on their way home from the movies or theatres. This is not a panacea for Northbridge. However, there is no doubt that it will help deal with the problems that have existed in Northbridge for some time, which have caused major difficulties for businesses and residents and undermined the amenity of that area. Importantly, the Government is interested in the welfare of those children. Not only are those children a menace to the rest of the community, but also they put themselves in vulnerable and risky situations. The Government intends to do something about that. It will not tolerate large numbers of unsupervised juveniles roaming the streets of Northbridge, making a nuisance of themselves, harassing the public and putting themselves at risk. The Government’s willingness to tackle the problem of child abuse in Western Australia indicates where it is coming from on issues such as this. It does not shy away from these problems. It does not sweep these problems under the carpet; it does something about them. We look forward to working with the local community and with representatives of Aboriginal communities in Western Australia to make sure that the interests of these young people are properly protected. Like many Western Australians, I am appalled by statistics that indicate that children as young as six are on the streets, unsupervised, and at risk in the Northbridge area. The Government intends to take a stand and to do something about it. The time has come for it to take action. The Government has initiated major consultation with the City of Perth. Excellent programs are running on the streets and some excellent non-government organisations are working in that area. However, we need to go further to make sure that the interests of those young people are protected and that the safety of the community is properly enhanced. Yet again, there is a big difference between the Government and the Opposition. The Opposition sweeps things under the carpet. The Government confronts issues and deals with them.
The Office of Crime Prevention, in consultation with other government agencies, is developing a formal policy framework for a curfew to apply to unaccompanied juveniles in Northbridge. Operational details such as the hours that will apply and some other aspects of this policy are yet to be finalised. However, it will be in place by the middle of this year. The development of this policy follows a police crackdown in January, February and March this year. This resulted in 454 juveniles being apprehended in Northbridge, of which 404 were young Aboriginal children, two-thirds were girls, the majority were aged from 13 to 15 and the youngest was six years of age. The report to the Government also indicates that 20 per cent of those juveniles were under the influence of alcohol when they were apprehended. Under the policy that the Government is formulating, police and Department for Community Development officers will use existing powers under section 138B of the Child Welfare Act to remove from the streets unaccompanied children and keep them at the Juvenile Aid Group premises or another suitable location until parents or guardians are able to collect them or arrangements can be made to take them home. This policy will specifically target large groups of juveniles who are looking for trouble and are engaged in antisocial behaviour. If introduced, it will be part of a broader crime prevention strategy for Northbridge, which will take into account planning issues as well as lighting and other aspects. The police will need to retain some discretion in instances in which older teenagers may have legitimate reasons to be out at night, such as being on their way home from the movies or theatres. This is not a panacea for Northbridge. However, there is no doubt that it will help deal with the problems that have existed in Northbridge for some time, which have caused major difficulties for businesses and residents and undermined the amenity of that area. Importantly, the Government is interested in the welfare of those children. Not only are those children a menace to the rest of the community, but also they put themselves in vulnerable and risky situations. The Government intends to do something about that. It will not tolerate large numbers of unsupervised juveniles roaming the streets of Northbridge, making a nuisance of themselves, harassing the public and putting themselves at risk. The Government’s willingness to tackle the problem of child abuse in Western Australia indicates where it is coming from on issues such as this. It does not shy away from these problems. It does not sweep these problems under the carpet; it does something about them. We look forward to working with the local community and with representatives of Aboriginal communities in Western Australia to make sure that the interests of these young people are properly protected. Like many Western Australians, I am appalled by statistics that indicate that children as young as six are on the streets, unsupervised, and at risk in the Northbridge area. The Government intends to take a stand and to do something about it. The time has come for it to take action. The Government has initiated major consultation with the City of Perth. Excellent programs are running on the streets and some excellent non-government organisations are working in that area. However, we need to go further to make sure that the interests of those young people are protected and that the safety of the community is properly enhanced. Yet again, there is a big difference between the Government and the Opposition. The Opposition sweeps things under the carpet. The Government confronts issues and deals with them.
The report to the Government also indicates that 20 per cent of those juveniles were under the influence of alcohol when they were apprehended. Under the policy that the Government is formulating, police and Department for Community Development officers will use existing powers under section 138B of the Child Welfare Act to remove from the streets unaccompanied children and keep them at the Juvenile Aid Group premises or another suitable location until parents or guardians are able to collect them or arrangements can be made to take them home. This policy will specifically target large groups of juveniles who are looking for trouble and are engaged in antisocial behaviour. If introduced, it will be part of a broader crime prevention strategy for Northbridge, which will take into account planning issues as well as lighting and other aspects. The police will need to retain some discretion in instances in which older teenagers may have legitimate reasons to be out at night, such as being on their way home from the movies or theatres. This is not a panacea for Northbridge. However, there is no doubt that it will help deal with the problems that have existed in Northbridge for some time, which have caused major difficulties for businesses and residents and undermined the amenity of that area. Importantly, the Government is interested in the welfare of those children. Not only are those children a menace to the rest of the community, but also they put themselves in vulnerable and risky situations. The Government intends to do something about that. It will not tolerate large numbers of unsupervised juveniles roaming the streets of Northbridge, making a nuisance of themselves, harassing the public and putting themselves at risk. The Government’s willingness to tackle the problem of child abuse in Western Australia indicates where it is coming from on issues such as this. It does not shy away from these problems. It does not sweep these problems under the carpet; it does something about them. We look forward to working with the local community and with representatives of Aboriginal communities in Western Australia to make sure that the interests of these young people are properly protected. Like many Western Australians, I am appalled by statistics that indicate that children as young as six are on the streets, unsupervised, and at risk in the Northbridge area. The Government intends to take a stand and to do something about it. The time has come for it to take action. The Government has initiated major consultation with the City of Perth. Excellent programs are running on the streets and some excellent non-government organisations are working in that area. However, we need to go further to make sure that the interests of those young people are protected and that the safety of the community is properly enhanced. Yet again, there is a big difference between the Government and the Opposition. The Opposition sweeps things under the carpet. The Government confronts issues and deals with them.
Importantly, the Government is interested in the welfare of those children. Not only are those children a menace to the rest of the community, but also they put themselves in vulnerable and risky situations. The Government intends to do something about that. It will not tolerate large numbers of unsupervised juveniles roaming the streets of Northbridge, making a nuisance of themselves, harassing the public and putting themselves at risk. The Government’s willingness to tackle the problem of child abuse in Western Australia indicates where it is coming from on issues such as this. It does not shy away from these problems. It does not sweep these problems under the carpet; it does something about them. We look forward to working with the local community and with representatives of Aboriginal communities in Western Australia to make sure that the interests of these young people are properly protected. Like many Western Australians, I am appalled by statistics that indicate that children as young as six are on the streets, unsupervised, and at risk in the Northbridge area. The Government intends to take a stand and to do something about it. The time has come for it to take action. The Government has initiated major consultation with the City of Perth. Excellent programs are running on the streets and some excellent non-government organisations are working in that area. However, we need to go further to make sure that the interests of those young people are protected and that the safety of the community is properly enhanced. Yet again, there is a big difference between the Government and the Opposition. The Opposition sweeps things under the carpet. The Government confronts issues and deals with them.
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