❓ Question regarding the WA state budget's allocation to police recruitment, specifically how it supports the Liberal-National government's election commitment. The Minister responds by outlining funding and recruitment numbers, highlighting crime reduction achievements.
AnsweredQoN 323Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
POLICE — RECRUITMENT
323. Mr I.C. BLAYNEY to the Minister for
Police:
Firstly, Mr Speaker, can I please
acknowledge the student leaders from Heritage College, who are in the public
gallery, from the member for Forrestfield's electorate.
Can the minister please advise the
house on how this year's state budget is helping the Liberal–National
government deliver on its election commitment to recruit more police officers?
323. Mr I.C. BLAYNEY to the Minister for
Police:
Firstly, Mr Speaker, can I please
acknowledge the student leaders from Heritage College, who are in the public
gallery, from the member for Forrestfield's electorate.
Can the minister please advise the
house on how this year's state budget is helping the Liberal–National
government deliver on its election commitment to recruit more police officers?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Geraldton for
an excellent question. Before I go to my response, though, I acknowledge the
year 6 students in the gallery today from Newman College, from the member for
Churchlands' electorate, and I am sure many of them may live in my
electorate as well.
As members will recall, in the 2013
election campaign we made a commitment to recruit an additional 550 police and
police auxiliary officers, and train up 200 detectives. I am very pleased to
announce that, in a difficult budget environment, we have allocated a further
$32.2 million to this project. So, this year, we will recruit and train an
additional 56 auxiliary officers and an additional 100 police officers to
fulfil this year's part of that four-year election commitment from
2013. I think it is important that we remind ourselves of why that commitment
has been put in place. We made a commitment in 2008 to grow the strength of WA
Police, and a further commitment in 2013. That was in response to community
concerns and feedback from the community about the policing presence available
across the state.
Member for Geraldton, the result of
this expansion speaks for itself. I am sure the member is aware of the —
Ms
M.M. Quirk interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen!
Mrs
L.M. HARVEY : You see, Mr Speaker, they always interject when I try to talk
about the achievements of our police officers. It is so frustrating.
Ms
M.M. Quirk interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Thank you for that, member for Girrawheen. I call you to order for
the first time.
Ms
M.M. Quirk interjected.
The
SPEAKER : If you want to be called for the second time, I will oblige you.
Mrs
L.M. HARVEY : The Geraldton subdistrict has achieved outstanding results—outstanding
results. It has recently conducted a targeted campaign, targeting a specific
number of prolific priority offenders. A large number of those priority
offenders are now in custody. As a result of that activity, overall crime in
the Geraldton subdistrict is down 8.3 per cent. That subdistrict can achieve
these results because of the commitment of this state government to funding our
police force appropriately. We have had an increase in the police budget every
year since we have come to government, and that is because we know it is
important to the community that the police are funded to do their job, and to
drive down crime in areas like the member for Geraldton's electorate by
8.3 per cent. We are proud of their efforts. I know the people opposite do not
like hearing about the achievements of our police officers. They interject when
I talk about it; they speak through my answer. But that will not stop us from
continuing with our campaign.
an excellent question. Before I go to my response, though, I acknowledge the
year 6 students in the gallery today from Newman College, from the member for
Churchlands' electorate, and I am sure many of them may live in my
electorate as well.
As members will recall, in the 2013
election campaign we made a commitment to recruit an additional 550 police and
police auxiliary officers, and train up 200 detectives. I am very pleased to
announce that, in a difficult budget environment, we have allocated a further
$32.2 million to this project. So, this year, we will recruit and train an
additional 56 auxiliary officers and an additional 100 police officers to
fulfil this year's part of that four-year election commitment from
2013. I think it is important that we remind ourselves of why that commitment
has been put in place. We made a commitment in 2008 to grow the strength of WA
Police, and a further commitment in 2013. That was in response to community
concerns and feedback from the community about the policing presence available
across the state.
Member for Geraldton, the result of
this expansion speaks for itself. I am sure the member is aware of the —
Ms
M.M. Quirk interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen!
Mrs
L.M. HARVEY : You see, Mr Speaker, they always interject when I try to talk
about the achievements of our police officers. It is so frustrating.
Ms
M.M. Quirk interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Thank you for that, member for Girrawheen. I call you to order for
the first time.
Ms
M.M. Quirk interjected.
The
SPEAKER : If you want to be called for the second time, I will oblige you.
Mrs
L.M. HARVEY : The Geraldton subdistrict has achieved outstanding results—outstanding
results. It has recently conducted a targeted campaign, targeting a specific
number of prolific priority offenders. A large number of those priority
offenders are now in custody. As a result of that activity, overall crime in
the Geraldton subdistrict is down 8.3 per cent. That subdistrict can achieve
these results because of the commitment of this state government to funding our
police force appropriately. We have had an increase in the police budget every
year since we have come to government, and that is because we know it is
important to the community that the police are funded to do their job, and to
drive down crime in areas like the member for Geraldton's electorate by
8.3 per cent. We are proud of their efforts. I know the people opposite do not
like hearing about the achievements of our police officers. They interject when
I talk about it; they speak through my answer. But that will not stop us from
continuing with our campaign.
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