❓ A parliamentary question regarding police overtime costs and staffing levels is met with a dismissive response, citing specific operations and increased budget allocation as justification. The Minister accuses the questioner of ignorance and misleading the House.
AnsweredQoN 1025Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I refer the minister to her answer to my question on notice that revealed that Western Australian police officers in 2001-02 worked 24 500 more hours of overtime than was the case in the previous financial year. (1) Is the minister aware that the 241 000 hours of police overtime in 2001-02 cost WA taxpayers nearly $10 million? (2) Is the minister further aware that even if half of the expenditure on overtime were spent on employing full-time police officers, the Government could have put an additional 108 police constables on our streets for a full year? (3) Will the minister now concede that her Government’s failure to live up to its promise of employing an additional 250 police officers is resulting in overworked officers and massive costs to Western Australian taxpayers? Mrs M.H. ROBERTS
AnswerView source ↗
(1)-(3) Yet another very silly question from the member for Kalgoorlie. He is showing his complete ignorance of police operational issues. I am aware of how many hours overtime were incurred and the cost. Indeed, I provided him with the answer to that question! I wonder whether the member can think back to what occurred in 2001-02 that might have created the need for extra overtime. He should have turned his mind to it. He should have thought about September 2001, when Don Hancock and Lou Lewis were blown up in their car. As a result, Operation Zircon was put in place. The Police Service put dozens of officers into that operation. They worked around the clock. In this House I have already congratulated the officers for the hours they put in and for solving the crime and apprehending the offenders. Keeping in mind that that was the first year of this Government, the Police Service put an enormous amount of resources into other operations, such as targeting outlaw motorcycle gangs. Hundreds of hours of overtime went into that. The Government has increased the police budget by $110 million. The Government did as it promised and put an additional $20 million into operational policing so officers could work overtime when warranted. The overtime allowed the Police Service to run Operation Zircon and operations against outlaw motorcycle gangs and crime hotspots such as burglaries and so forth. The Police Service recently ran Operation Hard Drive and was able to pay overtime to the officers involved. The Police Service also had to get straight on top of the gang problem that beset Perth when we came to government. Members will recall that, when I was in opposition, I called for the establishment of an Asian gang squad. This Government has combated those gangs incredibly successfully. Not one serious offence arising from the gang warfare has resulted in an offender not being charged. That is a tremendous record for the police. Specialist operations such as Operation Zircon and Asian gang issues require specialist officers who understand the problem and are part of a team. Additional junior constables cannot be dragged in to do those jobs. The member for Kalgoorlie has tried to mislead the House about the number of additional police officers. The Commissioner of Police explained during the Estimates Committee hearing that the service now has an additional 115 officers and is on target to have an additional 250 officers by the end of the four-year period. Over the four years, the Government is on target to induct an additional 1 000 recruits to the Police Academy. That is a great achievement. Quite plainly, members cannot believe anything the member says. I have a copy of the member’s press release issued today about police pay levels. The fourth last paragraph states - “The offer currently on the table only just covers the inflation rate and requires police to sign-off on recommendations from the Cole Royal Commission . . . Can members believe that? The Cole royal commission! That was into the building industry! No-one can believe anything the member says.
(1) Is the minister aware that the 241 000 hours of police overtime in 2001-02 cost WA taxpayers nearly $10 million? (2) Is the minister further aware that even if half of the expenditure on overtime were spent on employing full-time police officers, the Government could have put an additional 108 police constables on our streets for a full year? (3) Will the minister now concede that her Government’s failure to live up to its promise of employing an additional 250 police officers is resulting in overworked officers and massive costs to Western Australian taxpayers? Mrs M.H. ROBERTS replied: (1)-(3) Yet another very silly question from the member for Kalgoorlie. He is showing his complete ignorance of police operational issues. I am aware of how many hours overtime were incurred and the cost. Indeed, I provided him with the answer to that question! I wonder whether the member can think back to what occurred in 2001-02 that might have created the need for extra overtime. He should have turned his mind to it. He should have thought about September 2001, when Don Hancock and Lou Lewis were blown up in their car. As a result, Operation Zircon was put in place. The Police Service put dozens of officers into that operation. They worked around the clock. In this House I have already congratulated the officers for the hours they put in and for solving the crime and apprehending the offenders. Keeping in mind that that was the first year of this Government, the Police Service put an enormous amount of resources into other operations, such as targeting outlaw motorcycle gangs. Hundreds of hours of overtime went into that. The Government has increased the police budget by $110 million. The Government did as it promised and put an additional $20 million into operational policing so officers could work overtime when warranted. The overtime allowed the Police Service to run Operation Zircon and operations against outlaw motorcycle gangs and crime hotspots such as burglaries and so forth. The Police Service recently ran Operation Hard Drive and was able to pay overtime to the officers involved. The Police Service also had to get straight on top of the gang problem that beset Perth when we came to government. Members will recall that, when I was in opposition, I called for the establishment of an Asian gang squad. This Government has combated those gangs incredibly successfully. Not one serious offence arising from the gang warfare has resulted in an offender not being charged. That is a tremendous record for the police. Specialist operations such as Operation Zircon and Asian gang issues require specialist officers who understand the problem and are part of a team. Additional junior constables cannot be dragged in to do those jobs. The member for Kalgoorlie has tried to mislead the House about the number of additional police officers. The Commissioner of Police explained during the Estimates Committee hearing that the service now has an additional 115 officers and is on target to have an additional 250 officers by the end of the four-year period. Over the four years, the Government is on target to induct an additional 1 000 recruits to the Police Academy. That is a great achievement. Quite plainly, members cannot believe anything the member says. I have a copy of the member’s press release issued today about police pay levels. The fourth last paragraph states - “The offer currently on the table only just covers the inflation rate and requires police to sign-off on recommendations from the Cole Royal Commission . . . Can members believe that? The Cole royal commission! That was into the building industry! No-one can believe anything the member says.
(2) Is the minister further aware that even if half of the expenditure on overtime were spent on employing full-time police officers, the Government could have put an additional 108 police constables on our streets for a full year? (3) Will the minister now concede that her Government’s failure to live up to its promise of employing an additional 250 police officers is resulting in overworked officers and massive costs to Western Australian taxpayers? Mrs M.H. ROBERTS replied: (1)-(3) Yet another very silly question from the member for Kalgoorlie. He is showing his complete ignorance of police operational issues. I am aware of how many hours overtime were incurred and the cost. Indeed, I provided him with the answer to that question! I wonder whether the member can think back to what occurred in 2001-02 that might have created the need for extra overtime. He should have turned his mind to it. He should have thought about September 2001, when Don Hancock and Lou Lewis were blown up in their car. As a result, Operation Zircon was put in place. The Police Service put dozens of officers into that operation. They worked around the clock. In this House I have already congratulated the officers for the hours they put in and for solving the crime and apprehending the offenders. Keeping in mind that that was the first year of this Government, the Police Service put an enormous amount of resources into other operations, such as targeting outlaw motorcycle gangs. Hundreds of hours of overtime went into that. The Government has increased the police budget by $110 million. The Government did as it promised and put an additional $20 million into operational policing so officers could work overtime when warranted. The overtime allowed the Police Service to run Operation Zircon and operations against outlaw motorcycle gangs and crime hotspots such as burglaries and so forth. The Police Service recently ran Operation Hard Drive and was able to pay overtime to the officers involved. The Police Service also had to get straight on top of the gang problem that beset Perth when we came to government. Members will recall that, when I was in opposition, I called for the establishment of an Asian gang squad. This Government has combated those gangs incredibly successfully. Not one serious offence arising from the gang warfare has resulted in an offender not being charged. That is a tremendous record for the police. Specialist operations such as Operation Zircon and Asian gang issues require specialist officers who understand the problem and are part of a team. Additional junior constables cannot be dragged in to do those jobs. The member for Kalgoorlie has tried to mislead the House about the number of additional police officers. The Commissioner of Police explained during the Estimates Committee hearing that the service now has an additional 115 officers and is on target to have an additional 250 officers by the end of the four-year period. Over the four years, the Government is on target to induct an additional 1 000 recruits to the Police Academy. That is a great achievement. Quite plainly, members cannot believe anything the member says. I have a copy of the member’s press release issued today about police pay levels. The fourth last paragraph states - “The offer currently on the table only just covers the inflation rate and requires police to sign-off on recommendations from the Cole Royal Commission . . . Can members believe that? The Cole royal commission! That was into the building industry! No-one can believe anything the member says.
(3) Will the minister now concede that her Government’s failure to live up to its promise of employing an additional 250 police officers is resulting in overworked officers and massive costs to Western Australian taxpayers? Mrs M.H. ROBERTS replied: (1)-(3) Yet another very silly question from the member for Kalgoorlie. He is showing his complete ignorance of police operational issues. I am aware of how many hours overtime were incurred and the cost. Indeed, I provided him with the answer to that question! I wonder whether the member can think back to what occurred in 2001-02 that might have created the need for extra overtime. He should have turned his mind to it. He should have thought about September 2001, when Don Hancock and Lou Lewis were blown up in their car. As a result, Operation Zircon was put in place. The Police Service put dozens of officers into that operation. They worked around the clock. In this House I have already congratulated the officers for the hours they put in and for solving the crime and apprehending the offenders. Keeping in mind that that was the first year of this Government, the Police Service put an enormous amount of resources into other operations, such as targeting outlaw motorcycle gangs. Hundreds of hours of overtime went into that. The Government has increased the police budget by $110 million. The Government did as it promised and put an additional $20 million into operational policing so officers could work overtime when warranted. The overtime allowed the Police Service to run Operation Zircon and operations against outlaw motorcycle gangs and crime hotspots such as burglaries and so forth. The Police Service recently ran Operation Hard Drive and was able to pay overtime to the officers involved. The Police Service also had to get straight on top of the gang problem that beset Perth when we came to government. Members will recall that, when I was in opposition, I called for the establishment of an Asian gang squad. This Government has combated those gangs incredibly successfully. Not one serious offence arising from the gang warfare has resulted in an offender not being charged. That is a tremendous record for the police. Specialist operations such as Operation Zircon and Asian gang issues require specialist officers who understand the problem and are part of a team. Additional junior constables cannot be dragged in to do those jobs. The member for Kalgoorlie has tried to mislead the House about the number of additional police officers. The Commissioner of Police explained during the Estimates Committee hearing that the service now has an additional 115 officers and is on target to have an additional 250 officers by the end of the four-year period. Over the four years, the Government is on target to induct an additional 1 000 recruits to the Police Academy. That is a great achievement. Quite plainly, members cannot believe anything the member says. I have a copy of the member’s press release issued today about police pay levels. The fourth last paragraph states - “The offer currently on the table only just covers the inflation rate and requires police to sign-off on recommendations from the Cole Royal Commission . . . Can members believe that? The Cole royal commission! That was into the building industry! No-one can believe anything the member says.
Mrs M.H. ROBERTS replied: (1)-(3) Yet another very silly question from the member for Kalgoorlie. He is showing his complete ignorance of police operational issues. I am aware of how many hours overtime were incurred and the cost. Indeed, I provided him with the answer to that question! I wonder whether the member can think back to what occurred in 2001-02 that might have created the need for extra overtime. He should have turned his mind to it. He should have thought about September 2001, when Don Hancock and Lou Lewis were blown up in their car. As a result, Operation Zircon was put in place. The Police Service put dozens of officers into that operation. They worked around the clock. In this House I have already congratulated the officers for the hours they put in and for solving the crime and apprehending the offenders. Keeping in mind that that was the first year of this Government, the Police Service put an enormous amount of resources into other operations, such as targeting outlaw motorcycle gangs. Hundreds of hours of overtime went into that. The Government has increased the police budget by $110 million. The Government did as it promised and put an additional $20 million into operational policing so officers could work overtime when warranted. The overtime allowed the Police Service to run Operation Zircon and operations against outlaw motorcycle gangs and crime hotspots such as burglaries and so forth. The Police Service recently ran Operation Hard Drive and was able to pay overtime to the officers involved. The Police Service also had to get straight on top of the gang problem that beset Perth when we came to government. Members will recall that, when I was in opposition, I called for the establishment of an Asian gang squad. This Government has combated those gangs incredibly successfully. Not one serious offence arising from the gang warfare has resulted in an offender not being charged. That is a tremendous record for the police. Specialist operations such as Operation Zircon and Asian gang issues require specialist officers who understand the problem and are part of a team. Additional junior constables cannot be dragged in to do those jobs. The member for Kalgoorlie has tried to mislead the House about the number of additional police officers. The Commissioner of Police explained during the Estimates Committee hearing that the service now has an additional 115 officers and is on target to have an additional 250 officers by the end of the four-year period. Over the four years, the Government is on target to induct an additional 1 000 recruits to the Police Academy. That is a great achievement. Quite plainly, members cannot believe anything the member says. I have a copy of the member’s press release issued today about police pay levels. The fourth last paragraph states - “The offer currently on the table only just covers the inflation rate and requires police to sign-off on recommendations from the Cole Royal Commission . . . Can members believe that? The Cole royal commission! That was into the building industry! No-one can believe anything the member says.
(1)-(3) Yet another very silly question from the member for Kalgoorlie. He is showing his complete ignorance of police operational issues. I am aware of how many hours overtime were incurred and the cost. Indeed, I provided him with the answer to that question! I wonder whether the member can think back to what occurred in 2001-02 that might have created the need for extra overtime. He should have turned his mind to it. He should have thought about September 2001, when Don Hancock and Lou Lewis were blown up in their car. As a result, Operation Zircon was put in place. The Police Service put dozens of officers into that operation. They worked around the clock. In this House I have already congratulated the officers for the hours they put in and for solving the crime and apprehending the offenders. Keeping in mind that that was the first year of this Government, the Police Service put an enormous amount of resources into other operations, such as targeting outlaw motorcycle gangs. Hundreds of hours of overtime went into that. The Government has increased the police budget by $110 million. The Government did as it promised and put an additional $20 million into operational policing so officers could work overtime when warranted. The overtime allowed the Police Service to run Operation Zircon and operations against outlaw motorcycle gangs and crime hotspots such as burglaries and so forth. The Police Service recently ran Operation Hard Drive and was able to pay overtime to the officers involved. The Police Service also had to get straight on top of the gang problem that beset Perth when we came to government. Members will recall that, when I was in opposition, I called for the establishment of an Asian gang squad. This Government has combated those gangs incredibly successfully. Not one serious offence arising from the gang warfare has resulted in an offender not being charged. That is a tremendous record for the police. Specialist operations such as Operation Zircon and Asian gang issues require specialist officers who understand the problem and are part of a team. Additional junior constables cannot be dragged in to do those jobs. The member for Kalgoorlie has tried to mislead the House about the number of additional police officers. The Commissioner of Police explained during the Estimates Committee hearing that the service now has an additional 115 officers and is on target to have an additional 250 officers by the end of the four-year period. Over the four years, the Government is on target to induct an additional 1 000 recruits to the Police Academy. That is a great achievement. Quite plainly, members cannot believe anything the member says. I have a copy of the member’s press release issued today about police pay levels. The fourth last paragraph states - “The offer currently on the table only just covers the inflation rate and requires police to sign-off on recommendations from the Cole Royal Commission . . . Can members believe that? The Cole royal commission! That was into the building industry! No-one can believe anything the member says.
The member for Kalgoorlie has tried to mislead the House about the number of additional police officers. The Commissioner of Police explained during the Estimates Committee hearing that the service now has an additional 115 officers and is on target to have an additional 250 officers by the end of the four-year period. Over the four years, the Government is on target to induct an additional 1 000 recruits to the Police Academy. That is a great achievement. Quite plainly, members cannot believe anything the member says. I have a copy of the member’s press release issued today about police pay levels. The fourth last paragraph states - “The offer currently on the table only just covers the inflation rate and requires police to sign-off on recommendations from the Cole Royal Commission . . . Can members believe that? The Cole royal commission! That was into the building industry! No-one can believe anything the member says.
I have a copy of the member’s press release issued today about police pay levels. The fourth last paragraph states - “The offer currently on the table only just covers the inflation rate and requires police to sign-off on recommendations from the Cole Royal Commission . . . Can members believe that? The Cole royal commission! That was into the building industry! No-one can believe anything the member says.
(1) Is the minister aware that the 241 000 hours of police overtime in 2001-02 cost WA taxpayers nearly $10 million? (2) Is the minister further aware that even if half of the expenditure on overtime were spent on employing full-time police officers, the Government could have put an additional 108 police constables on our streets for a full year? (3) Will the minister now concede that her Government’s failure to live up to its promise of employing an additional 250 police officers is resulting in overworked officers and massive costs to Western Australian taxpayers? Mrs M.H. ROBERTS replied: (1)-(3) Yet another very silly question from the member for Kalgoorlie. He is showing his complete ignorance of police operational issues. I am aware of how many hours overtime were incurred and the cost. Indeed, I provided him with the answer to that question! I wonder whether the member can think back to what occurred in 2001-02 that might have created the need for extra overtime. He should have turned his mind to it. He should have thought about September 2001, when Don Hancock and Lou Lewis were blown up in their car. As a result, Operation Zircon was put in place. The Police Service put dozens of officers into that operation. They worked around the clock. In this House I have already congratulated the officers for the hours they put in and for solving the crime and apprehending the offenders. Keeping in mind that that was the first year of this Government, the Police Service put an enormous amount of resources into other operations, such as targeting outlaw motorcycle gangs. Hundreds of hours of overtime went into that. The Government has increased the police budget by $110 million. The Government did as it promised and put an additional $20 million into operational policing so officers could work overtime when warranted. The overtime allowed the Police Service to run Operation Zircon and operations against outlaw motorcycle gangs and crime hotspots such as burglaries and so forth. The Police Service recently ran Operation Hard Drive and was able to pay overtime to the officers involved. The Police Service also had to get straight on top of the gang problem that beset Perth when we came to government. Members will recall that, when I was in opposition, I called for the establishment of an Asian gang squad. This Government has combated those gangs incredibly successfully. Not one serious offence arising from the gang warfare has resulted in an offender not being charged. That is a tremendous record for the police. Specialist operations such as Operation Zircon and Asian gang issues require specialist officers who understand the problem and are part of a team. Additional junior constables cannot be dragged in to do those jobs. The member for Kalgoorlie has tried to mislead the House about the number of additional police officers. The Commissioner of Police explained during the Estimates Committee hearing that the service now has an additional 115 officers and is on target to have an additional 250 officers by the end of the four-year period. Over the four years, the Government is on target to induct an additional 1 000 recruits to the Police Academy. That is a great achievement. Quite plainly, members cannot believe anything the member says. I have a copy of the member’s press release issued today about police pay levels. The fourth last paragraph states - “The offer currently on the table only just covers the inflation rate and requires police to sign-off on recommendations from the Cole Royal Commission . . . Can members believe that? The Cole royal commission! That was into the building industry! No-one can believe anything the member says.
(2) Is the minister further aware that even if half of the expenditure on overtime were spent on employing full-time police officers, the Government could have put an additional 108 police constables on our streets for a full year? (3) Will the minister now concede that her Government’s failure to live up to its promise of employing an additional 250 police officers is resulting in overworked officers and massive costs to Western Australian taxpayers? Mrs M.H. ROBERTS replied: (1)-(3) Yet another very silly question from the member for Kalgoorlie. He is showing his complete ignorance of police operational issues. I am aware of how many hours overtime were incurred and the cost. Indeed, I provided him with the answer to that question! I wonder whether the member can think back to what occurred in 2001-02 that might have created the need for extra overtime. He should have turned his mind to it. He should have thought about September 2001, when Don Hancock and Lou Lewis were blown up in their car. As a result, Operation Zircon was put in place. The Police Service put dozens of officers into that operation. They worked around the clock. In this House I have already congratulated the officers for the hours they put in and for solving the crime and apprehending the offenders. Keeping in mind that that was the first year of this Government, the Police Service put an enormous amount of resources into other operations, such as targeting outlaw motorcycle gangs. Hundreds of hours of overtime went into that. The Government has increased the police budget by $110 million. The Government did as it promised and put an additional $20 million into operational policing so officers could work overtime when warranted. The overtime allowed the Police Service to run Operation Zircon and operations against outlaw motorcycle gangs and crime hotspots such as burglaries and so forth. The Police Service recently ran Operation Hard Drive and was able to pay overtime to the officers involved. The Police Service also had to get straight on top of the gang problem that beset Perth when we came to government. Members will recall that, when I was in opposition, I called for the establishment of an Asian gang squad. This Government has combated those gangs incredibly successfully. Not one serious offence arising from the gang warfare has resulted in an offender not being charged. That is a tremendous record for the police. Specialist operations such as Operation Zircon and Asian gang issues require specialist officers who understand the problem and are part of a team. Additional junior constables cannot be dragged in to do those jobs. The member for Kalgoorlie has tried to mislead the House about the number of additional police officers. The Commissioner of Police explained during the Estimates Committee hearing that the service now has an additional 115 officers and is on target to have an additional 250 officers by the end of the four-year period. Over the four years, the Government is on target to induct an additional 1 000 recruits to the Police Academy. That is a great achievement. Quite plainly, members cannot believe anything the member says. I have a copy of the member’s press release issued today about police pay levels. The fourth last paragraph states - “The offer currently on the table only just covers the inflation rate and requires police to sign-off on recommendations from the Cole Royal Commission . . . Can members believe that? The Cole royal commission! That was into the building industry! No-one can believe anything the member says.
(3) Will the minister now concede that her Government’s failure to live up to its promise of employing an additional 250 police officers is resulting in overworked officers and massive costs to Western Australian taxpayers? Mrs M.H. ROBERTS replied: (1)-(3) Yet another very silly question from the member for Kalgoorlie. He is showing his complete ignorance of police operational issues. I am aware of how many hours overtime were incurred and the cost. Indeed, I provided him with the answer to that question! I wonder whether the member can think back to what occurred in 2001-02 that might have created the need for extra overtime. He should have turned his mind to it. He should have thought about September 2001, when Don Hancock and Lou Lewis were blown up in their car. As a result, Operation Zircon was put in place. The Police Service put dozens of officers into that operation. They worked around the clock. In this House I have already congratulated the officers for the hours they put in and for solving the crime and apprehending the offenders. Keeping in mind that that was the first year of this Government, the Police Service put an enormous amount of resources into other operations, such as targeting outlaw motorcycle gangs. Hundreds of hours of overtime went into that. The Government has increased the police budget by $110 million. The Government did as it promised and put an additional $20 million into operational policing so officers could work overtime when warranted. The overtime allowed the Police Service to run Operation Zircon and operations against outlaw motorcycle gangs and crime hotspots such as burglaries and so forth. The Police Service recently ran Operation Hard Drive and was able to pay overtime to the officers involved. The Police Service also had to get straight on top of the gang problem that beset Perth when we came to government. Members will recall that, when I was in opposition, I called for the establishment of an Asian gang squad. This Government has combated those gangs incredibly successfully. Not one serious offence arising from the gang warfare has resulted in an offender not being charged. That is a tremendous record for the police. Specialist operations such as Operation Zircon and Asian gang issues require specialist officers who understand the problem and are part of a team. Additional junior constables cannot be dragged in to do those jobs. The member for Kalgoorlie has tried to mislead the House about the number of additional police officers. The Commissioner of Police explained during the Estimates Committee hearing that the service now has an additional 115 officers and is on target to have an additional 250 officers by the end of the four-year period. Over the four years, the Government is on target to induct an additional 1 000 recruits to the Police Academy. That is a great achievement. Quite plainly, members cannot believe anything the member says. I have a copy of the member’s press release issued today about police pay levels. The fourth last paragraph states - “The offer currently on the table only just covers the inflation rate and requires police to sign-off on recommendations from the Cole Royal Commission . . . Can members believe that? The Cole royal commission! That was into the building industry! No-one can believe anything the member says.
Mrs M.H. ROBERTS replied: (1)-(3) Yet another very silly question from the member for Kalgoorlie. He is showing his complete ignorance of police operational issues. I am aware of how many hours overtime were incurred and the cost. Indeed, I provided him with the answer to that question! I wonder whether the member can think back to what occurred in 2001-02 that might have created the need for extra overtime. He should have turned his mind to it. He should have thought about September 2001, when Don Hancock and Lou Lewis were blown up in their car. As a result, Operation Zircon was put in place. The Police Service put dozens of officers into that operation. They worked around the clock. In this House I have already congratulated the officers for the hours they put in and for solving the crime and apprehending the offenders. Keeping in mind that that was the first year of this Government, the Police Service put an enormous amount of resources into other operations, such as targeting outlaw motorcycle gangs. Hundreds of hours of overtime went into that. The Government has increased the police budget by $110 million. The Government did as it promised and put an additional $20 million into operational policing so officers could work overtime when warranted. The overtime allowed the Police Service to run Operation Zircon and operations against outlaw motorcycle gangs and crime hotspots such as burglaries and so forth. The Police Service recently ran Operation Hard Drive and was able to pay overtime to the officers involved. The Police Service also had to get straight on top of the gang problem that beset Perth when we came to government. Members will recall that, when I was in opposition, I called for the establishment of an Asian gang squad. This Government has combated those gangs incredibly successfully. Not one serious offence arising from the gang warfare has resulted in an offender not being charged. That is a tremendous record for the police. Specialist operations such as Operation Zircon and Asian gang issues require specialist officers who understand the problem and are part of a team. Additional junior constables cannot be dragged in to do those jobs. The member for Kalgoorlie has tried to mislead the House about the number of additional police officers. The Commissioner of Police explained during the Estimates Committee hearing that the service now has an additional 115 officers and is on target to have an additional 250 officers by the end of the four-year period. Over the four years, the Government is on target to induct an additional 1 000 recruits to the Police Academy. That is a great achievement. Quite plainly, members cannot believe anything the member says. I have a copy of the member’s press release issued today about police pay levels. The fourth last paragraph states - “The offer currently on the table only just covers the inflation rate and requires police to sign-off on recommendations from the Cole Royal Commission . . . Can members believe that? The Cole royal commission! That was into the building industry! No-one can believe anything the member says.
(1)-(3) Yet another very silly question from the member for Kalgoorlie. He is showing his complete ignorance of police operational issues. I am aware of how many hours overtime were incurred and the cost. Indeed, I provided him with the answer to that question! I wonder whether the member can think back to what occurred in 2001-02 that might have created the need for extra overtime. He should have turned his mind to it. He should have thought about September 2001, when Don Hancock and Lou Lewis were blown up in their car. As a result, Operation Zircon was put in place. The Police Service put dozens of officers into that operation. They worked around the clock. In this House I have already congratulated the officers for the hours they put in and for solving the crime and apprehending the offenders. Keeping in mind that that was the first year of this Government, the Police Service put an enormous amount of resources into other operations, such as targeting outlaw motorcycle gangs. Hundreds of hours of overtime went into that. The Government has increased the police budget by $110 million. The Government did as it promised and put an additional $20 million into operational policing so officers could work overtime when warranted. The overtime allowed the Police Service to run Operation Zircon and operations against outlaw motorcycle gangs and crime hotspots such as burglaries and so forth. The Police Service recently ran Operation Hard Drive and was able to pay overtime to the officers involved. The Police Service also had to get straight on top of the gang problem that beset Perth when we came to government. Members will recall that, when I was in opposition, I called for the establishment of an Asian gang squad. This Government has combated those gangs incredibly successfully. Not one serious offence arising from the gang warfare has resulted in an offender not being charged. That is a tremendous record for the police. Specialist operations such as Operation Zircon and Asian gang issues require specialist officers who understand the problem and are part of a team. Additional junior constables cannot be dragged in to do those jobs. The member for Kalgoorlie has tried to mislead the House about the number of additional police officers. The Commissioner of Police explained during the Estimates Committee hearing that the service now has an additional 115 officers and is on target to have an additional 250 officers by the end of the four-year period. Over the four years, the Government is on target to induct an additional 1 000 recruits to the Police Academy. That is a great achievement. Quite plainly, members cannot believe anything the member says. I have a copy of the member’s press release issued today about police pay levels. The fourth last paragraph states - “The offer currently on the table only just covers the inflation rate and requires police to sign-off on recommendations from the Cole Royal Commission . . . Can members believe that? The Cole royal commission! That was into the building industry! No-one can believe anything the member says.
The member for Kalgoorlie has tried to mislead the House about the number of additional police officers. The Commissioner of Police explained during the Estimates Committee hearing that the service now has an additional 115 officers and is on target to have an additional 250 officers by the end of the four-year period. Over the four years, the Government is on target to induct an additional 1 000 recruits to the Police Academy. That is a great achievement. Quite plainly, members cannot believe anything the member says. I have a copy of the member’s press release issued today about police pay levels. The fourth last paragraph states - “The offer currently on the table only just covers the inflation rate and requires police to sign-off on recommendations from the Cole Royal Commission . . . Can members believe that? The Cole royal commission! That was into the building industry! No-one can believe anything the member says.
I have a copy of the member’s press release issued today about police pay levels. The fourth last paragraph states - “The offer currently on the table only just covers the inflation rate and requires police to sign-off on recommendations from the Cole Royal Commission . . . Can members believe that? The Cole royal commission! That was into the building industry! No-one can believe anything the member says.
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