❓ Mr. Quigley asks if there's basis to claims that extending the lease on 108 police vehicles puts police and the public at risk. Mr. Kobelke denies the claim, calling it opposition spin and assures vehicles meet safety standards.
AnsweredQoN 461Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
POLICE EMERGENCY VEHICLES
In a media statement on 30 August 2007, the member for Murray claimed that emergency vehicles are putting the police and the public at risk. Can the minister kindly advise the house whether there is any basis for such a serious claim? Mr J.C. KOBELKE
In a media statement on 30 August 2007, the member for Murray claimed that emergency vehicles are putting the police and the public at risk. Can the minister kindly advise the house whether there is any basis for such a serious claim? Mr J.C. KOBELKE
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for the question. The brief answer is no. There is absolutely no basis for that claim at all. I will quote briefly from the member for Murray’s media statement. It states - The Carpenter Government has failed to replace 108 police vehicles that have reached the end of their normal service mileage and will extend their lease terms to save money. These vehicles will undoubtedly be involved in high-speed pursuits or emergency response work. These vehicles could represent a risk to both the police and the public when driven at high speed. This is one further example of the way in which opposition members put out spin; they take a fact and twist and turn it in a way that bears no resemblance to the facts. The member for Murray based that statement on an answer to a question on notice, 2579, I gave relating to police vehicles. Western Australia Police has 1 200 vehicles. Mr M.J. Cowper interjected. Mr J.C. KOBELKE : Approximately 600 are turned over each year. Police vehicles are basically used for two years, having travelled about 60 000 kilometres. A total of 108 vehicles were held a little beyond that period. To equate the contractual arrangement for selling vehicles and replacing them with any suggestion of lack of safety is an absolute and total nonsense. This government put in place occupational health and safety regulations to cover our police. The opposition never did it. All our vehicles have to meet very strict safety requirements. In fact, if a vehicle is involved in a high-speed pursuit, it is sent in for checking, even if it had a service the day before. As a matter of standard, it must be checked before it goes back on the road. Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr J.C. KOBELKE : The Leader of the Opposition is parroting on and yelling. He is another opposition member who wants to say things that are simply not true. There is no basis in the answer I gave or in any of the procedures to suggest that police vehicles on the road do not meet the strictest safety standards. They all do. For the member to suggest otherwise reflects how members of the opposition regularly take an answer and say something that is totally false in order to provide some sort of spin that creates a story totally contrary to the facts. The DEPUTY SPEAKER : Unfortunately, I need to call the Leader of the Opposition and the member for Murray to order. This persistent yelling across the chamber is not only unattractive, as I advised members yesterday, it is also disorderly. I call for order.
Mr J.C. KOBELKE replied: I thank the member for the question. The brief answer is no. There is absolutely no basis for that claim at all. I will quote briefly from the member for Murray’s media statement. It states - The Carpenter Government has failed to replace 108 police vehicles that have reached the end of their normal service mileage and will extend their lease terms to save money. These vehicles will undoubtedly be involved in high-speed pursuits or emergency response work. These vehicles could represent a risk to both the police and the public when driven at high speed. This is one further example of the way in which opposition members put out spin; they take a fact and twist and turn it in a way that bears no resemblance to the facts. The member for Murray based that statement on an answer to a question on notice, 2579, I gave relating to police vehicles. Western Australia Police has 1 200 vehicles. Mr M.J. Cowper interjected. Mr J.C. KOBELKE : Approximately 600 are turned over each year. Police vehicles are basically used for two years, having travelled about 60 000 kilometres. A total of 108 vehicles were held a little beyond that period. To equate the contractual arrangement for selling vehicles and replacing them with any suggestion of lack of safety is an absolute and total nonsense. This government put in place occupational health and safety regulations to cover our police. The opposition never did it. All our vehicles have to meet very strict safety requirements. In fact, if a vehicle is involved in a high-speed pursuit, it is sent in for checking, even if it had a service the day before. As a matter of standard, it must be checked before it goes back on the road. Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr J.C. KOBELKE : The Leader of the Opposition is parroting on and yelling. He is another opposition member who wants to say things that are simply not true. There is no basis in the answer I gave or in any of the procedures to suggest that police vehicles on the road do not meet the strictest safety standards. They all do. For the member to suggest otherwise reflects how members of the opposition regularly take an answer and say something that is totally false in order to provide some sort of spin that creates a story totally contrary to the facts. The DEPUTY SPEAKER : Unfortunately, I need to call the Leader of the Opposition and the member for Murray to order. This persistent yelling across the chamber is not only unattractive, as I advised members yesterday, it is also disorderly. I call for order.
I thank the member for the question. The brief answer is no. There is absolutely no basis for that claim at all. I will quote briefly from the member for Murray’s media statement. It states - The Carpenter Government has failed to replace 108 police vehicles that have reached the end of their normal service mileage and will extend their lease terms to save money. These vehicles will undoubtedly be involved in high-speed pursuits or emergency response work. These vehicles could represent a risk to both the police and the public when driven at high speed. This is one further example of the way in which opposition members put out spin; they take a fact and twist and turn it in a way that bears no resemblance to the facts. The member for Murray based that statement on an answer to a question on notice, 2579, I gave relating to police vehicles. Western Australia Police has 1 200 vehicles. Mr M.J. Cowper interjected. Mr J.C. KOBELKE : Approximately 600 are turned over each year. Police vehicles are basically used for two years, having travelled about 60 000 kilometres. A total of 108 vehicles were held a little beyond that period. To equate the contractual arrangement for selling vehicles and replacing them with any suggestion of lack of safety is an absolute and total nonsense. This government put in place occupational health and safety regulations to cover our police. The opposition never did it. All our vehicles have to meet very strict safety requirements. In fact, if a vehicle is involved in a high-speed pursuit, it is sent in for checking, even if it had a service the day before. As a matter of standard, it must be checked before it goes back on the road. Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr J.C. KOBELKE : The Leader of the Opposition is parroting on and yelling. He is another opposition member who wants to say things that are simply not true. There is no basis in the answer I gave or in any of the procedures to suggest that police vehicles on the road do not meet the strictest safety standards. They all do. For the member to suggest otherwise reflects how members of the opposition regularly take an answer and say something that is totally false in order to provide some sort of spin that creates a story totally contrary to the facts. The DEPUTY SPEAKER : Unfortunately, I need to call the Leader of the Opposition and the member for Murray to order. This persistent yelling across the chamber is not only unattractive, as I advised members yesterday, it is also disorderly. I call for order.
These vehicles will undoubtedly be involved in high-speed pursuits or emergency response work. These vehicles could represent a risk to both the police and the public when driven at high speed.
These vehicles could represent a risk to both the police and the public when driven at high speed.
Mr M.J. Cowper interjected. Mr J.C. KOBELKE : Approximately 600 are turned over each year. Police vehicles are basically used for two years, having travelled about 60 000 kilometres. A total of 108 vehicles were held a little beyond that period. To equate the contractual arrangement for selling vehicles and replacing them with any suggestion of lack of safety is an absolute and total nonsense. This government put in place occupational health and safety regulations to cover our police. The opposition never did it. All our vehicles have to meet very strict safety requirements. In fact, if a vehicle is involved in a high-speed pursuit, it is sent in for checking, even if it had a service the day before. As a matter of standard, it must be checked before it goes back on the road. Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr J.C. KOBELKE : The Leader of the Opposition is parroting on and yelling. He is another opposition member who wants to say things that are simply not true. There is no basis in the answer I gave or in any of the procedures to suggest that police vehicles on the road do not meet the strictest safety standards. They all do. For the member to suggest otherwise reflects how members of the opposition regularly take an answer and say something that is totally false in order to provide some sort of spin that creates a story totally contrary to the facts. The DEPUTY SPEAKER : Unfortunately, I need to call the Leader of the Opposition and the member for Murray to order. This persistent yelling across the chamber is not only unattractive, as I advised members yesterday, it is also disorderly. I call for order.
Mr J.C. KOBELKE : Approximately 600 are turned over each year. Police vehicles are basically used for two years, having travelled about 60 000 kilometres. A total of 108 vehicles were held a little beyond that period. To equate the contractual arrangement for selling vehicles and replacing them with any suggestion of lack of safety is an absolute and total nonsense. This government put in place occupational health and safety regulations to cover our police. The opposition never did it. All our vehicles have to meet very strict safety requirements. In fact, if a vehicle is involved in a high-speed pursuit, it is sent in for checking, even if it had a service the day before. As a matter of standard, it must be checked before it goes back on the road. Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr J.C. KOBELKE : The Leader of the Opposition is parroting on and yelling. He is another opposition member who wants to say things that are simply not true. There is no basis in the answer I gave or in any of the procedures to suggest that police vehicles on the road do not meet the strictest safety standards. They all do. For the member to suggest otherwise reflects how members of the opposition regularly take an answer and say something that is totally false in order to provide some sort of spin that creates a story totally contrary to the facts. The DEPUTY SPEAKER : Unfortunately, I need to call the Leader of the Opposition and the member for Murray to order. This persistent yelling across the chamber is not only unattractive, as I advised members yesterday, it is also disorderly. I call for order.
Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr J.C. KOBELKE : The Leader of the Opposition is parroting on and yelling. He is another opposition member who wants to say things that are simply not true. There is no basis in the answer I gave or in any of the procedures to suggest that police vehicles on the road do not meet the strictest safety standards. They all do. For the member to suggest otherwise reflects how members of the opposition regularly take an answer and say something that is totally false in order to provide some sort of spin that creates a story totally contrary to the facts. The DEPUTY SPEAKER : Unfortunately, I need to call the Leader of the Opposition and the member for Murray to order. This persistent yelling across the chamber is not only unattractive, as I advised members yesterday, it is also disorderly. I call for order.
Mr J.C. KOBELKE : The Leader of the Opposition is parroting on and yelling. He is another opposition member who wants to say things that are simply not true. There is no basis in the answer I gave or in any of the procedures to suggest that police vehicles on the road do not meet the strictest safety standards. They all do. For the member to suggest otherwise reflects how members of the opposition regularly take an answer and say something that is totally false in order to provide some sort of spin that creates a story totally contrary to the facts. The DEPUTY SPEAKER : Unfortunately, I need to call the Leader of the Opposition and the member for Murray to order. This persistent yelling across the chamber is not only unattractive, as I advised members yesterday, it is also disorderly. I call for order.
The DEPUTY SPEAKER : Unfortunately, I need to call the Leader of the Opposition and the member for Murray to order. This persistent yelling across the chamber is not only unattractive, as I advised members yesterday, it is also disorderly. I call for order.
Mr J.C. KOBELKE replied: I thank the member for the question. The brief answer is no. There is absolutely no basis for that claim at all. I will quote briefly from the member for Murray’s media statement. It states - The Carpenter Government has failed to replace 108 police vehicles that have reached the end of their normal service mileage and will extend their lease terms to save money. These vehicles will undoubtedly be involved in high-speed pursuits or emergency response work. These vehicles could represent a risk to both the police and the public when driven at high speed. This is one further example of the way in which opposition members put out spin; they take a fact and twist and turn it in a way that bears no resemblance to the facts. The member for Murray based that statement on an answer to a question on notice, 2579, I gave relating to police vehicles. Western Australia Police has 1 200 vehicles. Mr M.J. Cowper interjected. Mr J.C. KOBELKE : Approximately 600 are turned over each year. Police vehicles are basically used for two years, having travelled about 60 000 kilometres. A total of 108 vehicles were held a little beyond that period. To equate the contractual arrangement for selling vehicles and replacing them with any suggestion of lack of safety is an absolute and total nonsense. This government put in place occupational health and safety regulations to cover our police. The opposition never did it. All our vehicles have to meet very strict safety requirements. In fact, if a vehicle is involved in a high-speed pursuit, it is sent in for checking, even if it had a service the day before. As a matter of standard, it must be checked before it goes back on the road. Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr J.C. KOBELKE : The Leader of the Opposition is parroting on and yelling. He is another opposition member who wants to say things that are simply not true. There is no basis in the answer I gave or in any of the procedures to suggest that police vehicles on the road do not meet the strictest safety standards. They all do. For the member to suggest otherwise reflects how members of the opposition regularly take an answer and say something that is totally false in order to provide some sort of spin that creates a story totally contrary to the facts. The DEPUTY SPEAKER : Unfortunately, I need to call the Leader of the Opposition and the member for Murray to order. This persistent yelling across the chamber is not only unattractive, as I advised members yesterday, it is also disorderly. I call for order.
I thank the member for the question. The brief answer is no. There is absolutely no basis for that claim at all. I will quote briefly from the member for Murray’s media statement. It states - The Carpenter Government has failed to replace 108 police vehicles that have reached the end of their normal service mileage and will extend their lease terms to save money. These vehicles will undoubtedly be involved in high-speed pursuits or emergency response work. These vehicles could represent a risk to both the police and the public when driven at high speed. This is one further example of the way in which opposition members put out spin; they take a fact and twist and turn it in a way that bears no resemblance to the facts. The member for Murray based that statement on an answer to a question on notice, 2579, I gave relating to police vehicles. Western Australia Police has 1 200 vehicles. Mr M.J. Cowper interjected. Mr J.C. KOBELKE : Approximately 600 are turned over each year. Police vehicles are basically used for two years, having travelled about 60 000 kilometres. A total of 108 vehicles were held a little beyond that period. To equate the contractual arrangement for selling vehicles and replacing them with any suggestion of lack of safety is an absolute and total nonsense. This government put in place occupational health and safety regulations to cover our police. The opposition never did it. All our vehicles have to meet very strict safety requirements. In fact, if a vehicle is involved in a high-speed pursuit, it is sent in for checking, even if it had a service the day before. As a matter of standard, it must be checked before it goes back on the road. Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr J.C. KOBELKE : The Leader of the Opposition is parroting on and yelling. He is another opposition member who wants to say things that are simply not true. There is no basis in the answer I gave or in any of the procedures to suggest that police vehicles on the road do not meet the strictest safety standards. They all do. For the member to suggest otherwise reflects how members of the opposition regularly take an answer and say something that is totally false in order to provide some sort of spin that creates a story totally contrary to the facts. The DEPUTY SPEAKER : Unfortunately, I need to call the Leader of the Opposition and the member for Murray to order. This persistent yelling across the chamber is not only unattractive, as I advised members yesterday, it is also disorderly. I call for order.
These vehicles will undoubtedly be involved in high-speed pursuits or emergency response work. These vehicles could represent a risk to both the police and the public when driven at high speed.
These vehicles could represent a risk to both the police and the public when driven at high speed.
Mr M.J. Cowper interjected. Mr J.C. KOBELKE : Approximately 600 are turned over each year. Police vehicles are basically used for two years, having travelled about 60 000 kilometres. A total of 108 vehicles were held a little beyond that period. To equate the contractual arrangement for selling vehicles and replacing them with any suggestion of lack of safety is an absolute and total nonsense. This government put in place occupational health and safety regulations to cover our police. The opposition never did it. All our vehicles have to meet very strict safety requirements. In fact, if a vehicle is involved in a high-speed pursuit, it is sent in for checking, even if it had a service the day before. As a matter of standard, it must be checked before it goes back on the road. Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr J.C. KOBELKE : The Leader of the Opposition is parroting on and yelling. He is another opposition member who wants to say things that are simply not true. There is no basis in the answer I gave or in any of the procedures to suggest that police vehicles on the road do not meet the strictest safety standards. They all do. For the member to suggest otherwise reflects how members of the opposition regularly take an answer and say something that is totally false in order to provide some sort of spin that creates a story totally contrary to the facts. The DEPUTY SPEAKER : Unfortunately, I need to call the Leader of the Opposition and the member for Murray to order. This persistent yelling across the chamber is not only unattractive, as I advised members yesterday, it is also disorderly. I call for order.
Mr J.C. KOBELKE : Approximately 600 are turned over each year. Police vehicles are basically used for two years, having travelled about 60 000 kilometres. A total of 108 vehicles were held a little beyond that period. To equate the contractual arrangement for selling vehicles and replacing them with any suggestion of lack of safety is an absolute and total nonsense. This government put in place occupational health and safety regulations to cover our police. The opposition never did it. All our vehicles have to meet very strict safety requirements. In fact, if a vehicle is involved in a high-speed pursuit, it is sent in for checking, even if it had a service the day before. As a matter of standard, it must be checked before it goes back on the road. Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr J.C. KOBELKE : The Leader of the Opposition is parroting on and yelling. He is another opposition member who wants to say things that are simply not true. There is no basis in the answer I gave or in any of the procedures to suggest that police vehicles on the road do not meet the strictest safety standards. They all do. For the member to suggest otherwise reflects how members of the opposition regularly take an answer and say something that is totally false in order to provide some sort of spin that creates a story totally contrary to the facts. The DEPUTY SPEAKER : Unfortunately, I need to call the Leader of the Opposition and the member for Murray to order. This persistent yelling across the chamber is not only unattractive, as I advised members yesterday, it is also disorderly. I call for order.
Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr J.C. KOBELKE : The Leader of the Opposition is parroting on and yelling. He is another opposition member who wants to say things that are simply not true. There is no basis in the answer I gave or in any of the procedures to suggest that police vehicles on the road do not meet the strictest safety standards. They all do. For the member to suggest otherwise reflects how members of the opposition regularly take an answer and say something that is totally false in order to provide some sort of spin that creates a story totally contrary to the facts. The DEPUTY SPEAKER : Unfortunately, I need to call the Leader of the Opposition and the member for Murray to order. This persistent yelling across the chamber is not only unattractive, as I advised members yesterday, it is also disorderly. I call for order.
Mr J.C. KOBELKE : The Leader of the Opposition is parroting on and yelling. He is another opposition member who wants to say things that are simply not true. There is no basis in the answer I gave or in any of the procedures to suggest that police vehicles on the road do not meet the strictest safety standards. They all do. For the member to suggest otherwise reflects how members of the opposition regularly take an answer and say something that is totally false in order to provide some sort of spin that creates a story totally contrary to the facts. The DEPUTY SPEAKER : Unfortunately, I need to call the Leader of the Opposition and the member for Murray to order. This persistent yelling across the chamber is not only unattractive, as I advised members yesterday, it is also disorderly. I call for order.
The DEPUTY SPEAKER : Unfortunately, I need to call the Leader of the Opposition and the member for Murray to order. This persistent yelling across the chamber is not only unattractive, as I advised members yesterday, it is also disorderly. I call for order.
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.