❓ Mr. Folkard asks the Premier how new counterterrorism laws will further protect Western Australians. The Premier outlines enhancements to police powers, including preventative detention and resources.
AnsweredQoN 504Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
POLICE — COUNTERTERRORISM LAWS
504. Mr M.J. FOLKARD to the Premier:
I refer to the McGowan Labor government's commitment
to ensuring that police have the powers and the resources needed to keep the
community safe from harm. Can the Premier outline to the house how this
government's new counterterrorism laws will provide further protections
for all Western Australians?
504. Mr M.J. FOLKARD to the Premier:
I refer to the McGowan Labor government's commitment
to ensuring that police have the powers and the resources needed to keep the
community safe from harm. Can the Premier outline to the house how this
government's new counterterrorism laws will provide further protections
for all Western Australians?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Burns Beach
for the question. Today, the Minister for Police and I announced new laws that
are being introduced to enhance the protection of the Western Australian
community from the threat of terrorism. As the events in Christchurch
demonstrated, we cannot be too careful, and terrorism can come from a range of
sources in our community. Today, we have introduced laws that will allow for
greater capacity for the Western Australia Police Force to identify and detain
suspected perpetrators of acts of terrorism and allow the police to detain
someone without charge for up to two weeks whilst any potential terrorist event
is investigated. It will amend the threshold test for the basis of a preventive
detention order being made to ''a terrorist act being capable of being
carried out, and could occur within the next 14 days''. Up until now,
for the last 10 to 15 years, a terrorist act had to be imminent for police to
be able to apply for a detention order. Obviously, these matters are highly
sensitive and police often get intelligence about what might be going to occur.
We need to provide them with the capacity to secure somebody who might be at
imminent risk of committing a terrorism act that might result in the deaths of
multiple citizens in our state.
Over the course of this government's
term we have provided the police with the capacity to use lethal force when
dealing with a terrorist incident. We have limited the prospects of bail for
someone who is charged with a terrorist offence. We have also provided police
with additional resources, including a new bomb disposal robot, which will come
online later this year or next year to provide police with that capacity. We
have funded stab-proof ballistic body armour, new body-worn cameras, a new
police helicopter, and an additional 137 police officers. The matter of
terrorism is not one to be trifled with. Although other states have a greater
risk than Western Australia, we want to make sure that our police are well
prepared for what could potentially happen in our state.
for the question. Today, the Minister for Police and I announced new laws that
are being introduced to enhance the protection of the Western Australian
community from the threat of terrorism. As the events in Christchurch
demonstrated, we cannot be too careful, and terrorism can come from a range of
sources in our community. Today, we have introduced laws that will allow for
greater capacity for the Western Australia Police Force to identify and detain
suspected perpetrators of acts of terrorism and allow the police to detain
someone without charge for up to two weeks whilst any potential terrorist event
is investigated. It will amend the threshold test for the basis of a preventive
detention order being made to ''a terrorist act being capable of being
carried out, and could occur within the next 14 days''. Up until now,
for the last 10 to 15 years, a terrorist act had to be imminent for police to
be able to apply for a detention order. Obviously, these matters are highly
sensitive and police often get intelligence about what might be going to occur.
We need to provide them with the capacity to secure somebody who might be at
imminent risk of committing a terrorism act that might result in the deaths of
multiple citizens in our state.
Over the course of this government's
term we have provided the police with the capacity to use lethal force when
dealing with a terrorist incident. We have limited the prospects of bail for
someone who is charged with a terrorist offence. We have also provided police
with additional resources, including a new bomb disposal robot, which will come
online later this year or next year to provide police with that capacity. We
have funded stab-proof ballistic body armour, new body-worn cameras, a new
police helicopter, and an additional 137 police officers. The matter of
terrorism is not one to be trifled with. Although other states have a greater
risk than Western Australia, we want to make sure that our police are well
prepared for what could potentially happen in our state.
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