❓ Ms. Mettam questions the Premier on whether the court system will impose severe penalties for assaults on retail workers. The Premier responds by citing statistics showing a decrease in various crime rates, including youth crime, and highlighting increased reporting of domestic violence as a positive outcome of improved policing.
AnsweredQoN 5Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
RETAIL WORKERS — ASSAULTS
5. Ms L. METTAM to the Premier:
I have a supplementary question. Can
the Premier guarantee to the people of WA that these more severe penalties will
actually be imposed by our court system?
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please!
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order!
5. Ms L. METTAM to the Premier:
I have a supplementary question. Can
the Premier guarantee to the people of WA that these more severe penalties will
actually be imposed by our court system?
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please!
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order!
AnswerView source ↗
The Leader of the Liberal Party,
the member for Vasse, said just a short while ago that we are seeing an
escalation of crime in Western Australia. Nothing could be further from the
truth. The fact of the matter is that we saw a 53 per cent decrease in dwelling
burglaries in 2023 compared with 2016. There has been a 26 per cent decrease in
motor vehicle theft, a 20 per cent decrease in property damage and a 33 per cent
decrease in drug offences. I am very pleased to say —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please!
Mr R.H. COOK : The other
point the opposition talks about is youth crime. In 2016–17, there were
6 593 offences committed by people aged 10 to 17. In 2022–23, there
were 6 278, so youth crime is actually going down. It is true to say that we
are seeing an increase in the reporting of family and domestic violence, but,
of course, that is a unique part of our system. We want people to report
incidents of family and domestic violence. We know that the police force now
treats those accusations of alleged offences with much higher priority, so they
gain greater prominence and therefore people are further encouraged to seek the
protection of the law in relation to family and domestic violence. That is a good
thing. It is sad that we continue to see high rates of family and domestic
violence in our community, but it is great
that we now see more cops on the beat and a reduction across a whole range of
areas of offending. This is a record that we should be pleased with, but
it is a record we will continue to make sure we see further improvements on,
and we will do that by continuing with our record recruitment of police
officers.
the member for Vasse, said just a short while ago that we are seeing an
escalation of crime in Western Australia. Nothing could be further from the
truth. The fact of the matter is that we saw a 53 per cent decrease in dwelling
burglaries in 2023 compared with 2016. There has been a 26 per cent decrease in
motor vehicle theft, a 20 per cent decrease in property damage and a 33 per cent
decrease in drug offences. I am very pleased to say —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please!
Mr R.H. COOK : The other
point the opposition talks about is youth crime. In 2016–17, there were
6 593 offences committed by people aged 10 to 17. In 2022–23, there
were 6 278, so youth crime is actually going down. It is true to say that we
are seeing an increase in the reporting of family and domestic violence, but,
of course, that is a unique part of our system. We want people to report
incidents of family and domestic violence. We know that the police force now
treats those accusations of alleged offences with much higher priority, so they
gain greater prominence and therefore people are further encouraged to seek the
protection of the law in relation to family and domestic violence. That is a good
thing. It is sad that we continue to see high rates of family and domestic
violence in our community, but it is great
that we now see more cops on the beat and a reduction across a whole range of
areas of offending. This is a record that we should be pleased with, but
it is a record we will continue to make sure we see further improvements on,
and we will do that by continuing with our record recruitment of police
officers.
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