❓ Ms. Beard questions the Minister for Police about high crime rates in Broome and the Kimberley. The Minister refutes the statistics cited, defends the police force, and highlights initiatives to combat crime in the region.
AnsweredQoN 138Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
YOUTH CRIME — KIMBERLEY
138. Ms M. BEARD to the Minister for Police:
I refer to reports that Broome
police have responded to a staggering 2 742 incidents since the beginning of
2024, as Broome and the Kimberley region continues to grapple with a youth
crime crisis.
(1) Does the
minister believe that it is acceptable that residents in Broome have a 50 per cent
chance of becoming a victim of property crime and a one-in-three chance of
becoming a victim of a violent crime?
(2) What
additional measures will the minister put in place to ensure that these
communities have an acceptable level of safety and security?
The SPEAKER :
The very popular Minister for Police!
Mr R.H. Cook interjected.
The SPEAKER : Premier, I have
not excluded anyone from Parliament since I have been Speaker, but you could be
a consideration!
138. Ms M. BEARD to the Minister for Police:
I refer to reports that Broome
police have responded to a staggering 2 742 incidents since the beginning of
2024, as Broome and the Kimberley region continues to grapple with a youth
crime crisis.
(1) Does the
minister believe that it is acceptable that residents in Broome have a 50 per cent
chance of becoming a victim of property crime and a one-in-three chance of
becoming a victim of a violent crime?
(2) What
additional measures will the minister put in place to ensure that these
communities have an acceptable level of safety and security?
The SPEAKER :
The very popular Minister for Police!
Mr R.H. Cook interjected.
The SPEAKER : Premier, I have
not excluded anyone from Parliament since I have been Speaker, but you could be
a consideration!
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) Where
did those claimed probabilities come from? I know where they came from. Come
on, tell me.
The SPEAKER :
Minister!
Several members
interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please!
Minister and the members, you are able to ask rhetorical questions, but when
you are in government, you answer them.
Mr P. PAPALIA : I think they
came from a website called RedSuburbs, the figures from which a journalist, a very
junior journalist, has googled and put into a story in the Broome Advertiser as though they were fact, without verification.
That aside, I need to reflect on
yet another attempt—not even an attempt—yet another attack on
the Western Australia Police Force by the
Liberal Party of Western Australia. Broome police do an extraordinary job. Superintendent
Steve Thompson, who was formerly of the goldfields–Esperance region but
is now in the Kimberley, is an incredible officer. He is the poster boy for our
campaign to attract experienced overseas offices. He is an Irishman who came in the last wave of recruits. He and his wife
loved Kalgoorlie, member for Kalgoorlie —interesting, but they
did! They are the type of people who embed themselves in their community. He
recently assumed the role that Craig Parkin, sadly, had to leave due to ill
health. Superintendent Thompson assumed the role of district superintendent for
the Kimberley and he has embedded himself in that community already.
The police there have been doing
extraordinary things, as the member would have seen. There have been intercepts
of sly grogging in recent times to focus on disrupting the flow of alcohol from
Broome and Derby into dry communities in Halls Creek and Fitzroy. They have
been handing out banned drinker orders as part of the reform that my
predecessor, in the role of the Minister for Racing and Gaming, introduced last
year to enable police to put hundreds of people on the banned drinkers
register. The last I think I heard was that over 800 people are now on the
banned drinkers register, which is now mandatory for packaged liquor outlets to
comply with. The police are participating in, and contributing to, a range of
other initiatives in tackling crime in Broome and over the entire Kimberley.
They do an incredible job.
Part of what they are supported
with is Operation Regional Shield, which, for some reason, the Leader of the Opposition does not like. Again, this is another
criticism of the police. It is unreasonable criticism. It is an operational response. It has had an effect. It is doing
good in assisting the local police getting additional assets—not only
officers , but also other assets such as analysts and drones and any
other police resources required to target the juvenile offending problem. But
it does no good to anybody, particularly the people of Broome, for the Leader
of the Opposition to come in here and make claims about failures of policing in
Broome. Broome is a wonderful town. The Kimberley is a beautiful place. It is a
jewel in the crown of our tourism product in many ways, and we should be proud
of it, and we should be respectful and reflective when we engage in discussions
around these matters.
did those claimed probabilities come from? I know where they came from. Come
on, tell me.
The SPEAKER :
Minister!
Several members
interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please!
Minister and the members, you are able to ask rhetorical questions, but when
you are in government, you answer them.
Mr P. PAPALIA : I think they
came from a website called RedSuburbs, the figures from which a journalist, a very
junior journalist, has googled and put into a story in the Broome Advertiser as though they were fact, without verification.
That aside, I need to reflect on
yet another attempt—not even an attempt—yet another attack on
the Western Australia Police Force by the
Liberal Party of Western Australia. Broome police do an extraordinary job. Superintendent
Steve Thompson, who was formerly of the goldfields–Esperance region but
is now in the Kimberley, is an incredible officer. He is the poster boy for our
campaign to attract experienced overseas offices. He is an Irishman who came in the last wave of recruits. He and his wife
loved Kalgoorlie, member for Kalgoorlie —interesting, but they
did! They are the type of people who embed themselves in their community. He
recently assumed the role that Craig Parkin, sadly, had to leave due to ill
health. Superintendent Thompson assumed the role of district superintendent for
the Kimberley and he has embedded himself in that community already.
The police there have been doing
extraordinary things, as the member would have seen. There have been intercepts
of sly grogging in recent times to focus on disrupting the flow of alcohol from
Broome and Derby into dry communities in Halls Creek and Fitzroy. They have
been handing out banned drinker orders as part of the reform that my
predecessor, in the role of the Minister for Racing and Gaming, introduced last
year to enable police to put hundreds of people on the banned drinkers
register. The last I think I heard was that over 800 people are now on the
banned drinkers register, which is now mandatory for packaged liquor outlets to
comply with. The police are participating in, and contributing to, a range of
other initiatives in tackling crime in Broome and over the entire Kimberley.
They do an incredible job.
Part of what they are supported
with is Operation Regional Shield, which, for some reason, the Leader of the Opposition does not like. Again, this is another
criticism of the police. It is unreasonable criticism. It is an operational response. It has had an effect. It is doing
good in assisting the local police getting additional assets—not only
officers , but also other assets such as analysts and drones and any
other police resources required to target the juvenile offending problem. But
it does no good to anybody, particularly the people of Broome, for the Leader
of the Opposition to come in here and make claims about failures of policing in
Broome. Broome is a wonderful town. The Kimberley is a beautiful place. It is a
jewel in the crown of our tourism product in many ways, and we should be proud
of it, and we should be respectful and reflective when we engage in discussions
around these matters.
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