❓ Mr Britza asks about the Commonwealth's anti-gang strike team in WA. Minister Harvey confirms the initiative, highlighting collaboration with the federal government and contrasting it with the previous government's efforts.
AnsweredQoN 186Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
POLICE — NATIONAL ANTI-GANG SQUAD
186. Mr I.M. BRITZA to the
Minister for Police:
Today in The West
Australian I read that the commonwealth government is forming a strike team
—
Mr P.B. Watson interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Albany, I call you now to order for the second time.
Mr I.M. BRITZA :
Today in The West Australian I read
that the commonwealth government is forming a strike team in Western Australia
to assist Western Australia Police in combating gang-related crimes as part of
the national anti-gang squad. Could the minister please update the house on
this timely announcement?
Mr J.R. Quigley interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Butler, you seem to be a bit confused—you are
not the Minister for Police. I call you to order for the second time.
186. Mr I.M. BRITZA to the
Minister for Police:
Today in The West
Australian I read that the commonwealth government is forming a strike team
—
Mr P.B. Watson interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Albany, I call you now to order for the second time.
Mr I.M. BRITZA :
Today in The West Australian I read
that the commonwealth government is forming a strike team in Western Australia
to assist Western Australia Police in combating gang-related crimes as part of
the national anti-gang squad. Could the minister please update the house on
this timely announcement?
Mr J.R. Quigley interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Butler, you seem to be a bit confused—you are
not the Minister for Police. I call you to order for the second time.
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Morley for
the question and for his continued interest in law and order and crime-related
matters in Western Australia. Indeed, that was a very good announcement made
today. The federal government has announced that it intends to establish a
Western Australian anti-gang —
Ms M.M. Quirk interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Girrawheen, I call you to order for the first time.
Mr J.R. Quigley interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Butler, I will pretend that I never heard that one—okay?
Mrs L.M. HARVEY :
The intention, of course, of this investment by the federal government in
assisting Western Australian resources around the organised crime area is to
establish a Western Australian anti-gang strike team. This announcement is the
result of recent, very fruitful discussions with the federal Minister for
Justice—a great Western Australian—Hon Michael Keenan. Shortly
after his appointment as Minister for Justice, he commenced dialogue with his
state counterparts, and I am very pleased that, as a result of those
discussions, our mutual concern about outlaw motorcycle gangs and their
criminal operations will now be addressed in this format. The new federal
government is serious about working cooperatively with the states and territories,
particularly to combat the scourge of motorcycle gangs and criminal gangs
across Australia. These resources will consist of five Australian Federal
Police members and one analyst from the Australian Taxation Office. Their focus
will be on disruption and prevention in the organised crime space. It is
difficult to place a measure on the ability for these federal employees to be
placed with Western Australia Police, with access to federal databases.
Commonwealth law enforcement authorities have the ability to bring together
intelligence and resources, to share information from across Australia and to
access similar sorts of information from international jurisdictions.
We think this is a very significant announcement for the
state because it enables our state police officers, who have been doing an
excellent job with OMCGs, to access the federal criminal intelligence holdings.
That means getting access to the databases of the Australian Taxation Office,
the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service, Centrelink and the
Department of Immigration and Border Protection. These new resources will work
within the serious and organised crime division of WAPOL in Perth and will be
co-located with our Western Australian police officers who work in this area
and do a tremendous job.
It is interesting to provide a contrast with the previous
Gillard government's announcement on its national anti-gang task force.
Mr J.R. Quigley interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Butler, I call you to order for the third time. Minister, come to a
conclusion.
Mrs L.M. HARVEY : I
was making the point that about a year ago an announcement was made with great
fanfare by the Gillard government about establishing an anti-gang task force
across Australia. It promised one full-time equivalent position for Western
Australia, and it did not even deliver on that.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Members!
Mrs L.M. HARVEY :
The new federal Minister for Justice, Mr Michael Keenan, has already delivered
to us extra resources in a short space of time to make sure that we can have an
impact in this area. Although the previous federal government was focused on
Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne, the new government is focusing on a national
effort to combat organised crime. It is opportune this week, with the Senate
election on Saturday, to highlight the governments that put their money and
their resources where their mouths are and follow up a commitment with
resources on the ground.
the question and for his continued interest in law and order and crime-related
matters in Western Australia. Indeed, that was a very good announcement made
today. The federal government has announced that it intends to establish a
Western Australian anti-gang —
Ms M.M. Quirk interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Girrawheen, I call you to order for the first time.
Mr J.R. Quigley interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Butler, I will pretend that I never heard that one—okay?
Mrs L.M. HARVEY :
The intention, of course, of this investment by the federal government in
assisting Western Australian resources around the organised crime area is to
establish a Western Australian anti-gang strike team. This announcement is the
result of recent, very fruitful discussions with the federal Minister for
Justice—a great Western Australian—Hon Michael Keenan. Shortly
after his appointment as Minister for Justice, he commenced dialogue with his
state counterparts, and I am very pleased that, as a result of those
discussions, our mutual concern about outlaw motorcycle gangs and their
criminal operations will now be addressed in this format. The new federal
government is serious about working cooperatively with the states and territories,
particularly to combat the scourge of motorcycle gangs and criminal gangs
across Australia. These resources will consist of five Australian Federal
Police members and one analyst from the Australian Taxation Office. Their focus
will be on disruption and prevention in the organised crime space. It is
difficult to place a measure on the ability for these federal employees to be
placed with Western Australia Police, with access to federal databases.
Commonwealth law enforcement authorities have the ability to bring together
intelligence and resources, to share information from across Australia and to
access similar sorts of information from international jurisdictions.
We think this is a very significant announcement for the
state because it enables our state police officers, who have been doing an
excellent job with OMCGs, to access the federal criminal intelligence holdings.
That means getting access to the databases of the Australian Taxation Office,
the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service, Centrelink and the
Department of Immigration and Border Protection. These new resources will work
within the serious and organised crime division of WAPOL in Perth and will be
co-located with our Western Australian police officers who work in this area
and do a tremendous job.
It is interesting to provide a contrast with the previous
Gillard government's announcement on its national anti-gang task force.
Mr J.R. Quigley interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Butler, I call you to order for the third time. Minister, come to a
conclusion.
Mrs L.M. HARVEY : I
was making the point that about a year ago an announcement was made with great
fanfare by the Gillard government about establishing an anti-gang task force
across Australia. It promised one full-time equivalent position for Western
Australia, and it did not even deliver on that.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Members!
Mrs L.M. HARVEY :
The new federal Minister for Justice, Mr Michael Keenan, has already delivered
to us extra resources in a short space of time to make sure that we can have an
impact in this area. Although the previous federal government was focused on
Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne, the new government is focusing on a national
effort to combat organised crime. It is opportune this week, with the Senate
election on Saturday, to highlight the governments that put their money and
their resources where their mouths are and follow up a commitment with
resources on the ground.
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