❓ Opposition questions the Premier about the closure of country police stations, referencing past comments and seeking guarantees about service quality. The Premier defends the decision, highlighting increased regional police numbers and past closures under the previous government.
AnsweredQoN 347Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
POLICE STATIONS - CLOSURE
I refer to the recent decision by the Western Australia Police, supported by the government, to close six country police stations. I also refer to the Premier’s comments recorded in Hansard on 12 August 1998, in which he made reference to the closure of the Hilton Police Station, in his electorate. He said - The fact of the matter is that so few police are on the beat, on the roads and out in the streets in the southern suburbs that the nearest police officer might be a long way away now that that person’s local police station is closed and the police are operating out of one or two major police stations. I will bet my left leg that the response times are not as good as they were previously. (1) Will the Premier now bet his other leg that response times in the six country towns that will lose police stations will be as good as they were previously? (2) How will the Premier guarantee, as he did on ABC radio this morning during an interview with Geoff Hutchison, that the police will provide a better service, not a worse service, in these country communities? Mr A.J. CARPENTER
I refer to the recent decision by the Western Australia Police, supported by the government, to close six country police stations. I also refer to the Premier’s comments recorded in Hansard on 12 August 1998, in which he made reference to the closure of the Hilton Police Station, in his electorate. He said - The fact of the matter is that so few police are on the beat, on the roads and out in the streets in the southern suburbs that the nearest police officer might be a long way away now that that person’s local police station is closed and the police are operating out of one or two major police stations. I will bet my left leg that the response times are not as good as they were previously. (1) Will the Premier now bet his other leg that response times in the six country towns that will lose police stations will be as good as they were previously? (2) How will the Premier guarantee, as he did on ABC radio this morning during an interview with Geoff Hutchison, that the police will provide a better service, not a worse service, in these country communities? Mr A.J. CARPENTER
AnswerView source ↗
(1)-(2) I am glad that I put only my left leg on the line; perhaps it should have been the other one! Well done; that is good. Hilton Police Station should never have been closed in the first place. I think it was closed by Commissioner Falconer. Good lobbying by the local community managed to convince Mr Falconer’s successor, Commissioner Mathews, to reopen it. I was only too happy to be present when it was reopened. That is a much better program. An opposition member interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The police made that judgement, just as Commissioner Karl O’Callaghan has made a judgement in this case. When I was advised that the police stations would be closed, I of course anticipated that there would be a fair bit of pushback. At one stage, one of my cousins was the resident police officer at Cranbrook Police Station, so I know a little bit about the Cranbrook area. I anticipated that there would be a degree of anxiety about the closure of the Cranbrook Police Station. During his public commentary, Commissioner O’Callaghan has given an assurance that better resourced police stations at Tambellup and Mt Barker - Mr T.K. Waldron : He also gave an assurance that they weren’t going to close for 12 months. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I do not believe that he did that. Commissioner O’Callaghan gave an assurance that better resourced police stations at Tambellup and Mt Barker would provide a better police service for the entire area. How good is the member for Wagin’s memory? Why were Liberal and National Party members not outraged when, under a coalition government, the Broomehill Police Station was closed? Mr C.J. Barnett : We closed it? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes, the Broomehill Police Station was closed when the coalition was in government. Why was there no outrage when that happened? Why do not members opposite demand that Broomehill Police Station be reopened? Come on! An opposition member interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The opposition will; that is good. Shall I provide members opposite with a comprehensive list of the rural police stations that were closed when the coalition was in government? Should I nail a sign to the member for Stirling’s electorate door that reads “The coalition government closed Broomehill Police Station”? The member has asserted that we closed Hilton Police Station. How many police are now stationed in regional Western Australia compared with those who were stationed in regional areas when the National and Liberal parties were in government? Do members think that there are now more or fewer police officers in regional Western Australia? The information that I have been provided with indicates that the number of police officers assigned to country areas has increased by 155 since - An opposition member: What about ratio to population? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The ratio to population debate! The member for Stirling knows a fair bit about the areas in the southern wheatbelt area. What does he reckon the population growth in Cranbrook, Tambellup and Broomehill has been in the past six years? Mr B.J. Grylls : One to two per cent. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Does the Leader of the National Party think that an extra 155 police officers in regional Western Australia might be a bit above the ratio demanded by population growth? I have a feeling it is. The next time the member is talking to the people of Cranbrook, he should drive to Broomehill and say, “Oh, by the way, we should never have closed Broomehill Police Station. I promise you we’ll reopen it.” The Leader of the National Party will not do that. How many regional police stations have been opened since we came to government compared with the number that were opened during the time that the Liberal and National Parties were in government? Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The Leader of the Opposition was a minister in the coalition government. A former coalition police minister is in the chamber. He is avoiding eye contact and keeping very quiet. Mr J.H.D. Day : I was doing something more productive! Look at me! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The member for Darling Range is a good man! I hate to admit this - Several members interjected. THE SPEAKER (Mr F. Riebeling) : I think we should avoid eye contact! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Ever since the member for Darling Range’s university days, I have taken a perverse delight in looking at him! He used to be a very attractive young man! Mr R.F. Johnson interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is a free society. A total of 16 police stations have been opened in regional Western Australia by this government, compared with only 11 country police stations opened during the Liberal-National Party’s eight-year term; that is, 16 versus 11. The coalition closed Broomehill Police Station, did it not? Where is the outrage about Broomehill? Does that town not count any more? One hundred and fifty-five additional police have been stationed in regional Western Australia, not to mention, for example, that unemployment in regional WA has fallen to record lows, declining from 7.5 per cent in June 2001 to 3.88 per cent in the June 2006 quarter. There have been 22 major regional health capital works programs completed, or to be completed, in 2007, including new and replacement hospitals, health centres and dental clinics, with 10 additional projects due for completion in the next few years. Mr B.J. Grylls : Why does the community not thank you for it? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What about the schools? Does the Leader of the National Party have a question about schools? I will leave that to the education minister; otherwise, I will tell members about them also. I will leave that for another day. Members opposite should not believe what the spin doctors on their side are saying. They are not as good as ours. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The West Australian did not complete its examination, nor did the member for Vasse, of my spin doctors. There are two spin doctors in my office who disguise themselves as cleaners! They were the only two employees in my office who were not caught in the spin doctor net. Everyone else in my office, including Val and Denise on the front desk, are, of course, spin doctors! My office employs more spin doctors than there are cricket teams in India! We have many spin doctors! My two cleaners are spin doctors who organise all my lines for me every morning! When I go into my office, all the spin doctor lines are laid out for me! The words on this paper are those lines! Apparently they are doing a better job than are the Leader of the National Party’s spin doctors, and I thank them for that. All the figures for schools, hospitals and police are better - Mr B.J. Grylls interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I did not say that. Mr B.J. Grylls : That is what you just said. You said, “They’ve never had it so good.” Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. Did anyone hear me say those words? They were the Prime Minister’s words.
(2) How will the Premier guarantee, as he did on ABC radio this morning during an interview with Geoff Hutchison, that the police will provide a better service, not a worse service, in these country communities? Mr A.J. CARPENTER replied: (1)-(2) I am glad that I put only my left leg on the line; perhaps it should have been the other one! Well done; that is good. Hilton Police Station should never have been closed in the first place. I think it was closed by Commissioner Falconer. Good lobbying by the local community managed to convince Mr Falconer’s successor, Commissioner Mathews, to reopen it. I was only too happy to be present when it was reopened. That is a much better program. An opposition member interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The police made that judgement, just as Commissioner Karl O’Callaghan has made a judgement in this case. When I was advised that the police stations would be closed, I of course anticipated that there would be a fair bit of pushback. At one stage, one of my cousins was the resident police officer at Cranbrook Police Station, so I know a little bit about the Cranbrook area. I anticipated that there would be a degree of anxiety about the closure of the Cranbrook Police Station. During his public commentary, Commissioner O’Callaghan has given an assurance that better resourced police stations at Tambellup and Mt Barker - Mr T.K. Waldron : He also gave an assurance that they weren’t going to close for 12 months. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I do not believe that he did that. Commissioner O’Callaghan gave an assurance that better resourced police stations at Tambellup and Mt Barker would provide a better police service for the entire area. How good is the member for Wagin’s memory? Why were Liberal and National Party members not outraged when, under a coalition government, the Broomehill Police Station was closed? Mr C.J. Barnett : We closed it? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes, the Broomehill Police Station was closed when the coalition was in government. Why was there no outrage when that happened? Why do not members opposite demand that Broomehill Police Station be reopened? Come on! An opposition member interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The opposition will; that is good. Shall I provide members opposite with a comprehensive list of the rural police stations that were closed when the coalition was in government? Should I nail a sign to the member for Stirling’s electorate door that reads “The coalition government closed Broomehill Police Station”? The member has asserted that we closed Hilton Police Station. How many police are now stationed in regional Western Australia compared with those who were stationed in regional areas when the National and Liberal parties were in government? Do members think that there are now more or fewer police officers in regional Western Australia? The information that I have been provided with indicates that the number of police officers assigned to country areas has increased by 155 since - An opposition member: What about ratio to population? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The ratio to population debate! The member for Stirling knows a fair bit about the areas in the southern wheatbelt area. What does he reckon the population growth in Cranbrook, Tambellup and Broomehill has been in the past six years? Mr B.J. Grylls : One to two per cent. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Does the Leader of the National Party think that an extra 155 police officers in regional Western Australia might be a bit above the ratio demanded by population growth? I have a feeling it is. The next time the member is talking to the people of Cranbrook, he should drive to Broomehill and say, “Oh, by the way, we should never have closed Broomehill Police Station. I promise you we’ll reopen it.” The Leader of the National Party will not do that. How many regional police stations have been opened since we came to government compared with the number that were opened during the time that the Liberal and National Parties were in government? Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The Leader of the Opposition was a minister in the coalition government. A former coalition police minister is in the chamber. He is avoiding eye contact and keeping very quiet. Mr J.H.D. Day : I was doing something more productive! Look at me! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The member for Darling Range is a good man! I hate to admit this - Several members interjected. THE SPEAKER (Mr F. Riebeling) : I think we should avoid eye contact! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Ever since the member for Darling Range’s university days, I have taken a perverse delight in looking at him! He used to be a very attractive young man! Mr R.F. Johnson interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is a free society. A total of 16 police stations have been opened in regional Western Australia by this government, compared with only 11 country police stations opened during the Liberal-National Party’s eight-year term; that is, 16 versus 11. The coalition closed Broomehill Police Station, did it not? Where is the outrage about Broomehill? Does that town not count any more? One hundred and fifty-five additional police have been stationed in regional Western Australia, not to mention, for example, that unemployment in regional WA has fallen to record lows, declining from 7.5 per cent in June 2001 to 3.88 per cent in the June 2006 quarter. There have been 22 major regional health capital works programs completed, or to be completed, in 2007, including new and replacement hospitals, health centres and dental clinics, with 10 additional projects due for completion in the next few years. Mr B.J. Grylls : Why does the community not thank you for it? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What about the schools? Does the Leader of the National Party have a question about schools? I will leave that to the education minister; otherwise, I will tell members about them also. I will leave that for another day. Members opposite should not believe what the spin doctors on their side are saying. They are not as good as ours. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The West Australian did not complete its examination, nor did the member for Vasse, of my spin doctors. There are two spin doctors in my office who disguise themselves as cleaners! They were the only two employees in my office who were not caught in the spin doctor net. Everyone else in my office, including Val and Denise on the front desk, are, of course, spin doctors! My office employs more spin doctors than there are cricket teams in India! We have many spin doctors! My two cleaners are spin doctors who organise all my lines for me every morning! When I go into my office, all the spin doctor lines are laid out for me! The words on this paper are those lines! Apparently they are doing a better job than are the Leader of the National Party’s spin doctors, and I thank them for that. All the figures for schools, hospitals and police are better - Mr B.J. Grylls interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I did not say that. Mr B.J. Grylls : That is what you just said. You said, “They’ve never had it so good.” Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. Did anyone hear me say those words? They were the Prime Minister’s words.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER replied: (1)-(2) I am glad that I put only my left leg on the line; perhaps it should have been the other one! Well done; that is good. Hilton Police Station should never have been closed in the first place. I think it was closed by Commissioner Falconer. Good lobbying by the local community managed to convince Mr Falconer’s successor, Commissioner Mathews, to reopen it. I was only too happy to be present when it was reopened. That is a much better program. An opposition member interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The police made that judgement, just as Commissioner Karl O’Callaghan has made a judgement in this case. When I was advised that the police stations would be closed, I of course anticipated that there would be a fair bit of pushback. At one stage, one of my cousins was the resident police officer at Cranbrook Police Station, so I know a little bit about the Cranbrook area. I anticipated that there would be a degree of anxiety about the closure of the Cranbrook Police Station. During his public commentary, Commissioner O’Callaghan has given an assurance that better resourced police stations at Tambellup and Mt Barker - Mr T.K. Waldron : He also gave an assurance that they weren’t going to close for 12 months. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I do not believe that he did that. Commissioner O’Callaghan gave an assurance that better resourced police stations at Tambellup and Mt Barker would provide a better police service for the entire area. How good is the member for Wagin’s memory? Why were Liberal and National Party members not outraged when, under a coalition government, the Broomehill Police Station was closed? Mr C.J. Barnett : We closed it? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes, the Broomehill Police Station was closed when the coalition was in government. Why was there no outrage when that happened? Why do not members opposite demand that Broomehill Police Station be reopened? Come on! An opposition member interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The opposition will; that is good. Shall I provide members opposite with a comprehensive list of the rural police stations that were closed when the coalition was in government? Should I nail a sign to the member for Stirling’s electorate door that reads “The coalition government closed Broomehill Police Station”? The member has asserted that we closed Hilton Police Station. How many police are now stationed in regional Western Australia compared with those who were stationed in regional areas when the National and Liberal parties were in government? Do members think that there are now more or fewer police officers in regional Western Australia? The information that I have been provided with indicates that the number of police officers assigned to country areas has increased by 155 since - An opposition member: What about ratio to population? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The ratio to population debate! The member for Stirling knows a fair bit about the areas in the southern wheatbelt area. What does he reckon the population growth in Cranbrook, Tambellup and Broomehill has been in the past six years? Mr B.J. Grylls : One to two per cent. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Does the Leader of the National Party think that an extra 155 police officers in regional Western Australia might be a bit above the ratio demanded by population growth? I have a feeling it is. The next time the member is talking to the people of Cranbrook, he should drive to Broomehill and say, “Oh, by the way, we should never have closed Broomehill Police Station. I promise you we’ll reopen it.” The Leader of the National Party will not do that. How many regional police stations have been opened since we came to government compared with the number that were opened during the time that the Liberal and National Parties were in government? Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The Leader of the Opposition was a minister in the coalition government. A former coalition police minister is in the chamber. He is avoiding eye contact and keeping very quiet. Mr J.H.D. Day : I was doing something more productive! Look at me! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The member for Darling Range is a good man! I hate to admit this - Several members interjected. THE SPEAKER (Mr F. Riebeling) : I think we should avoid eye contact! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Ever since the member for Darling Range’s university days, I have taken a perverse delight in looking at him! He used to be a very attractive young man! Mr R.F. Johnson interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is a free society. A total of 16 police stations have been opened in regional Western Australia by this government, compared with only 11 country police stations opened during the Liberal-National Party’s eight-year term; that is, 16 versus 11. The coalition closed Broomehill Police Station, did it not? Where is the outrage about Broomehill? Does that town not count any more? One hundred and fifty-five additional police have been stationed in regional Western Australia, not to mention, for example, that unemployment in regional WA has fallen to record lows, declining from 7.5 per cent in June 2001 to 3.88 per cent in the June 2006 quarter. There have been 22 major regional health capital works programs completed, or to be completed, in 2007, including new and replacement hospitals, health centres and dental clinics, with 10 additional projects due for completion in the next few years. Mr B.J. Grylls : Why does the community not thank you for it? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What about the schools? Does the Leader of the National Party have a question about schools? I will leave that to the education minister; otherwise, I will tell members about them also. I will leave that for another day. Members opposite should not believe what the spin doctors on their side are saying. They are not as good as ours. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The West Australian did not complete its examination, nor did the member for Vasse, of my spin doctors. There are two spin doctors in my office who disguise themselves as cleaners! They were the only two employees in my office who were not caught in the spin doctor net. Everyone else in my office, including Val and Denise on the front desk, are, of course, spin doctors! My office employs more spin doctors than there are cricket teams in India! We have many spin doctors! My two cleaners are spin doctors who organise all my lines for me every morning! When I go into my office, all the spin doctor lines are laid out for me! The words on this paper are those lines! Apparently they are doing a better job than are the Leader of the National Party’s spin doctors, and I thank them for that. All the figures for schools, hospitals and police are better - Mr B.J. Grylls interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I did not say that. Mr B.J. Grylls : That is what you just said. You said, “They’ve never had it so good.” Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. Did anyone hear me say those words? They were the Prime Minister’s words.
(1)-(2) I am glad that I put only my left leg on the line; perhaps it should have been the other one! Well done; that is good. Hilton Police Station should never have been closed in the first place. I think it was closed by Commissioner Falconer. Good lobbying by the local community managed to convince Mr Falconer’s successor, Commissioner Mathews, to reopen it. I was only too happy to be present when it was reopened. That is a much better program. An opposition member interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The police made that judgement, just as Commissioner Karl O’Callaghan has made a judgement in this case. When I was advised that the police stations would be closed, I of course anticipated that there would be a fair bit of pushback. At one stage, one of my cousins was the resident police officer at Cranbrook Police Station, so I know a little bit about the Cranbrook area. I anticipated that there would be a degree of anxiety about the closure of the Cranbrook Police Station. During his public commentary, Commissioner O’Callaghan has given an assurance that better resourced police stations at Tambellup and Mt Barker - Mr T.K. Waldron : He also gave an assurance that they weren’t going to close for 12 months. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I do not believe that he did that. Commissioner O’Callaghan gave an assurance that better resourced police stations at Tambellup and Mt Barker would provide a better police service for the entire area. How good is the member for Wagin’s memory? Why were Liberal and National Party members not outraged when, under a coalition government, the Broomehill Police Station was closed? Mr C.J. Barnett : We closed it? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes, the Broomehill Police Station was closed when the coalition was in government. Why was there no outrage when that happened? Why do not members opposite demand that Broomehill Police Station be reopened? Come on! An opposition member interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The opposition will; that is good. Shall I provide members opposite with a comprehensive list of the rural police stations that were closed when the coalition was in government? Should I nail a sign to the member for Stirling’s electorate door that reads “The coalition government closed Broomehill Police Station”? The member has asserted that we closed Hilton Police Station. How many police are now stationed in regional Western Australia compared with those who were stationed in regional areas when the National and Liberal parties were in government? Do members think that there are now more or fewer police officers in regional Western Australia? The information that I have been provided with indicates that the number of police officers assigned to country areas has increased by 155 since - An opposition member: What about ratio to population? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The ratio to population debate! The member for Stirling knows a fair bit about the areas in the southern wheatbelt area. What does he reckon the population growth in Cranbrook, Tambellup and Broomehill has been in the past six years? Mr B.J. Grylls : One to two per cent. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Does the Leader of the National Party think that an extra 155 police officers in regional Western Australia might be a bit above the ratio demanded by population growth? I have a feeling it is. The next time the member is talking to the people of Cranbrook, he should drive to Broomehill and say, “Oh, by the way, we should never have closed Broomehill Police Station. I promise you we’ll reopen it.” The Leader of the National Party will not do that. How many regional police stations have been opened since we came to government compared with the number that were opened during the time that the Liberal and National Parties were in government? Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The Leader of the Opposition was a minister in the coalition government. A former coalition police minister is in the chamber. He is avoiding eye contact and keeping very quiet. Mr J.H.D. Day : I was doing something more productive! Look at me! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The member for Darling Range is a good man! I hate to admit this - Several members interjected. THE SPEAKER (Mr F. Riebeling) : I think we should avoid eye contact! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Ever since the member for Darling Range’s university days, I have taken a perverse delight in looking at him! He used to be a very attractive young man! Mr R.F. Johnson interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is a free society. A total of 16 police stations have been opened in regional Western Australia by this government, compared with only 11 country police stations opened during the Liberal-National Party’s eight-year term; that is, 16 versus 11. The coalition closed Broomehill Police Station, did it not? Where is the outrage about Broomehill? Does that town not count any more? One hundred and fifty-five additional police have been stationed in regional Western Australia, not to mention, for example, that unemployment in regional WA has fallen to record lows, declining from 7.5 per cent in June 2001 to 3.88 per cent in the June 2006 quarter. There have been 22 major regional health capital works programs completed, or to be completed, in 2007, including new and replacement hospitals, health centres and dental clinics, with 10 additional projects due for completion in the next few years. Mr B.J. Grylls : Why does the community not thank you for it? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What about the schools? Does the Leader of the National Party have a question about schools? I will leave that to the education minister; otherwise, I will tell members about them also. I will leave that for another day. Members opposite should not believe what the spin doctors on their side are saying. They are not as good as ours. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The West Australian did not complete its examination, nor did the member for Vasse, of my spin doctors. There are two spin doctors in my office who disguise themselves as cleaners! They were the only two employees in my office who were not caught in the spin doctor net. Everyone else in my office, including Val and Denise on the front desk, are, of course, spin doctors! My office employs more spin doctors than there are cricket teams in India! We have many spin doctors! My two cleaners are spin doctors who organise all my lines for me every morning! When I go into my office, all the spin doctor lines are laid out for me! The words on this paper are those lines! Apparently they are doing a better job than are the Leader of the National Party’s spin doctors, and I thank them for that. All the figures for schools, hospitals and police are better - Mr B.J. Grylls interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I did not say that. Mr B.J. Grylls : That is what you just said. You said, “They’ve never had it so good.” Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. Did anyone hear me say those words? They were the Prime Minister’s words.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The police made that judgement, just as Commissioner Karl O’Callaghan has made a judgement in this case. When I was advised that the police stations would be closed, I of course anticipated that there would be a fair bit of pushback. At one stage, one of my cousins was the resident police officer at Cranbrook Police Station, so I know a little bit about the Cranbrook area. I anticipated that there would be a degree of anxiety about the closure of the Cranbrook Police Station. During his public commentary, Commissioner O’Callaghan has given an assurance that better resourced police stations at Tambellup and Mt Barker - Mr T.K. Waldron : He also gave an assurance that they weren’t going to close for 12 months. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I do not believe that he did that. Commissioner O’Callaghan gave an assurance that better resourced police stations at Tambellup and Mt Barker would provide a better police service for the entire area. How good is the member for Wagin’s memory? Why were Liberal and National Party members not outraged when, under a coalition government, the Broomehill Police Station was closed? Mr C.J. Barnett : We closed it? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes, the Broomehill Police Station was closed when the coalition was in government. Why was there no outrage when that happened? Why do not members opposite demand that Broomehill Police Station be reopened? Come on! An opposition member interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The opposition will; that is good. Shall I provide members opposite with a comprehensive list of the rural police stations that were closed when the coalition was in government? Should I nail a sign to the member for Stirling’s electorate door that reads “The coalition government closed Broomehill Police Station”? The member has asserted that we closed Hilton Police Station. How many police are now stationed in regional Western Australia compared with those who were stationed in regional areas when the National and Liberal parties were in government? Do members think that there are now more or fewer police officers in regional Western Australia? The information that I have been provided with indicates that the number of police officers assigned to country areas has increased by 155 since - An opposition member: What about ratio to population? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The ratio to population debate! The member for Stirling knows a fair bit about the areas in the southern wheatbelt area. What does he reckon the population growth in Cranbrook, Tambellup and Broomehill has been in the past six years? Mr B.J. Grylls : One to two per cent. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Does the Leader of the National Party think that an extra 155 police officers in regional Western Australia might be a bit above the ratio demanded by population growth? I have a feeling it is. The next time the member is talking to the people of Cranbrook, he should drive to Broomehill and say, “Oh, by the way, we should never have closed Broomehill Police Station. I promise you we’ll reopen it.” The Leader of the National Party will not do that. How many regional police stations have been opened since we came to government compared with the number that were opened during the time that the Liberal and National Parties were in government? Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The Leader of the Opposition was a minister in the coalition government. A former coalition police minister is in the chamber. He is avoiding eye contact and keeping very quiet. Mr J.H.D. Day : I was doing something more productive! Look at me! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The member for Darling Range is a good man! I hate to admit this - Several members interjected. THE SPEAKER (Mr F. Riebeling) : I think we should avoid eye contact! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Ever since the member for Darling Range’s university days, I have taken a perverse delight in looking at him! He used to be a very attractive young man! Mr R.F. Johnson interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is a free society. A total of 16 police stations have been opened in regional Western Australia by this government, compared with only 11 country police stations opened during the Liberal-National Party’s eight-year term; that is, 16 versus 11. The coalition closed Broomehill Police Station, did it not? Where is the outrage about Broomehill? Does that town not count any more? One hundred and fifty-five additional police have been stationed in regional Western Australia, not to mention, for example, that unemployment in regional WA has fallen to record lows, declining from 7.5 per cent in June 2001 to 3.88 per cent in the June 2006 quarter. There have been 22 major regional health capital works programs completed, or to be completed, in 2007, including new and replacement hospitals, health centres and dental clinics, with 10 additional projects due for completion in the next few years. Mr B.J. Grylls : Why does the community not thank you for it? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What about the schools? Does the Leader of the National Party have a question about schools? I will leave that to the education minister; otherwise, I will tell members about them also. I will leave that for another day. Members opposite should not believe what the spin doctors on their side are saying. They are not as good as ours. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The West Australian did not complete its examination, nor did the member for Vasse, of my spin doctors. There are two spin doctors in my office who disguise themselves as cleaners! They were the only two employees in my office who were not caught in the spin doctor net. Everyone else in my office, including Val and Denise on the front desk, are, of course, spin doctors! My office employs more spin doctors than there are cricket teams in India! We have many spin doctors! My two cleaners are spin doctors who organise all my lines for me every morning! When I go into my office, all the spin doctor lines are laid out for me! The words on this paper are those lines! Apparently they are doing a better job than are the Leader of the National Party’s spin doctors, and I thank them for that. All the figures for schools, hospitals and police are better - Mr B.J. Grylls interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I did not say that. Mr B.J. Grylls : That is what you just said. You said, “They’ve never had it so good.” Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. Did anyone hear me say those words? They were the Prime Minister’s words.
Mr T.K. Waldron : He also gave an assurance that they weren’t going to close for 12 months. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I do not believe that he did that. Commissioner O’Callaghan gave an assurance that better resourced police stations at Tambellup and Mt Barker would provide a better police service for the entire area. How good is the member for Wagin’s memory? Why were Liberal and National Party members not outraged when, under a coalition government, the Broomehill Police Station was closed? Mr C.J. Barnett : We closed it? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes, the Broomehill Police Station was closed when the coalition was in government. Why was there no outrage when that happened? Why do not members opposite demand that Broomehill Police Station be reopened? Come on! An opposition member interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The opposition will; that is good. Shall I provide members opposite with a comprehensive list of the rural police stations that were closed when the coalition was in government? Should I nail a sign to the member for Stirling’s electorate door that reads “The coalition government closed Broomehill Police Station”? The member has asserted that we closed Hilton Police Station. How many police are now stationed in regional Western Australia compared with those who were stationed in regional areas when the National and Liberal parties were in government? Do members think that there are now more or fewer police officers in regional Western Australia? The information that I have been provided with indicates that the number of police officers assigned to country areas has increased by 155 since - An opposition member: What about ratio to population? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The ratio to population debate! The member for Stirling knows a fair bit about the areas in the southern wheatbelt area. What does he reckon the population growth in Cranbrook, Tambellup and Broomehill has been in the past six years? Mr B.J. Grylls : One to two per cent. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Does the Leader of the National Party think that an extra 155 police officers in regional Western Australia might be a bit above the ratio demanded by population growth? I have a feeling it is. The next time the member is talking to the people of Cranbrook, he should drive to Broomehill and say, “Oh, by the way, we should never have closed Broomehill Police Station. I promise you we’ll reopen it.” The Leader of the National Party will not do that. How many regional police stations have been opened since we came to government compared with the number that were opened during the time that the Liberal and National Parties were in government? Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The Leader of the Opposition was a minister in the coalition government. A former coalition police minister is in the chamber. He is avoiding eye contact and keeping very quiet. Mr J.H.D. Day : I was doing something more productive! Look at me! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The member for Darling Range is a good man! I hate to admit this - Several members interjected. THE SPEAKER (Mr F. Riebeling) : I think we should avoid eye contact! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Ever since the member for Darling Range’s university days, I have taken a perverse delight in looking at him! He used to be a very attractive young man! Mr R.F. Johnson interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is a free society. A total of 16 police stations have been opened in regional Western Australia by this government, compared with only 11 country police stations opened during the Liberal-National Party’s eight-year term; that is, 16 versus 11. The coalition closed Broomehill Police Station, did it not? Where is the outrage about Broomehill? Does that town not count any more? One hundred and fifty-five additional police have been stationed in regional Western Australia, not to mention, for example, that unemployment in regional WA has fallen to record lows, declining from 7.5 per cent in June 2001 to 3.88 per cent in the June 2006 quarter. There have been 22 major regional health capital works programs completed, or to be completed, in 2007, including new and replacement hospitals, health centres and dental clinics, with 10 additional projects due for completion in the next few years. Mr B.J. Grylls : Why does the community not thank you for it? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What about the schools? Does the Leader of the National Party have a question about schools? I will leave that to the education minister; otherwise, I will tell members about them also. I will leave that for another day. Members opposite should not believe what the spin doctors on their side are saying. They are not as good as ours. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The West Australian did not complete its examination, nor did the member for Vasse, of my spin doctors. There are two spin doctors in my office who disguise themselves as cleaners! They were the only two employees in my office who were not caught in the spin doctor net. Everyone else in my office, including Val and Denise on the front desk, are, of course, spin doctors! My office employs more spin doctors than there are cricket teams in India! We have many spin doctors! My two cleaners are spin doctors who organise all my lines for me every morning! When I go into my office, all the spin doctor lines are laid out for me! The words on this paper are those lines! Apparently they are doing a better job than are the Leader of the National Party’s spin doctors, and I thank them for that. All the figures for schools, hospitals and police are better - Mr B.J. Grylls interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I did not say that. Mr B.J. Grylls : That is what you just said. You said, “They’ve never had it so good.” Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. Did anyone hear me say those words? They were the Prime Minister’s words.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I do not believe that he did that. Commissioner O’Callaghan gave an assurance that better resourced police stations at Tambellup and Mt Barker would provide a better police service for the entire area. How good is the member for Wagin’s memory? Why were Liberal and National Party members not outraged when, under a coalition government, the Broomehill Police Station was closed? Mr C.J. Barnett : We closed it? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes, the Broomehill Police Station was closed when the coalition was in government. Why was there no outrage when that happened? Why do not members opposite demand that Broomehill Police Station be reopened? Come on! An opposition member interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The opposition will; that is good. Shall I provide members opposite with a comprehensive list of the rural police stations that were closed when the coalition was in government? Should I nail a sign to the member for Stirling’s electorate door that reads “The coalition government closed Broomehill Police Station”? The member has asserted that we closed Hilton Police Station. How many police are now stationed in regional Western Australia compared with those who were stationed in regional areas when the National and Liberal parties were in government? Do members think that there are now more or fewer police officers in regional Western Australia? The information that I have been provided with indicates that the number of police officers assigned to country areas has increased by 155 since - An opposition member: What about ratio to population? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The ratio to population debate! The member for Stirling knows a fair bit about the areas in the southern wheatbelt area. What does he reckon the population growth in Cranbrook, Tambellup and Broomehill has been in the past six years? Mr B.J. Grylls : One to two per cent. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Does the Leader of the National Party think that an extra 155 police officers in regional Western Australia might be a bit above the ratio demanded by population growth? I have a feeling it is. The next time the member is talking to the people of Cranbrook, he should drive to Broomehill and say, “Oh, by the way, we should never have closed Broomehill Police Station. I promise you we’ll reopen it.” The Leader of the National Party will not do that. How many regional police stations have been opened since we came to government compared with the number that were opened during the time that the Liberal and National Parties were in government? Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The Leader of the Opposition was a minister in the coalition government. A former coalition police minister is in the chamber. He is avoiding eye contact and keeping very quiet. Mr J.H.D. Day : I was doing something more productive! Look at me! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The member for Darling Range is a good man! I hate to admit this - Several members interjected. THE SPEAKER (Mr F. Riebeling) : I think we should avoid eye contact! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Ever since the member for Darling Range’s university days, I have taken a perverse delight in looking at him! He used to be a very attractive young man! Mr R.F. Johnson interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is a free society. A total of 16 police stations have been opened in regional Western Australia by this government, compared with only 11 country police stations opened during the Liberal-National Party’s eight-year term; that is, 16 versus 11. The coalition closed Broomehill Police Station, did it not? Where is the outrage about Broomehill? Does that town not count any more? One hundred and fifty-five additional police have been stationed in regional Western Australia, not to mention, for example, that unemployment in regional WA has fallen to record lows, declining from 7.5 per cent in June 2001 to 3.88 per cent in the June 2006 quarter. There have been 22 major regional health capital works programs completed, or to be completed, in 2007, including new and replacement hospitals, health centres and dental clinics, with 10 additional projects due for completion in the next few years. Mr B.J. Grylls : Why does the community not thank you for it? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What about the schools? Does the Leader of the National Party have a question about schools? I will leave that to the education minister; otherwise, I will tell members about them also. I will leave that for another day. Members opposite should not believe what the spin doctors on their side are saying. They are not as good as ours. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The West Australian did not complete its examination, nor did the member for Vasse, of my spin doctors. There are two spin doctors in my office who disguise themselves as cleaners! They were the only two employees in my office who were not caught in the spin doctor net. Everyone else in my office, including Val and Denise on the front desk, are, of course, spin doctors! My office employs more spin doctors than there are cricket teams in India! We have many spin doctors! My two cleaners are spin doctors who organise all my lines for me every morning! When I go into my office, all the spin doctor lines are laid out for me! The words on this paper are those lines! Apparently they are doing a better job than are the Leader of the National Party’s spin doctors, and I thank them for that. All the figures for schools, hospitals and police are better - Mr B.J. Grylls interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I did not say that. Mr B.J. Grylls : That is what you just said. You said, “They’ve never had it so good.” Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. Did anyone hear me say those words? They were the Prime Minister’s words.
Mr C.J. Barnett : We closed it? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes, the Broomehill Police Station was closed when the coalition was in government. Why was there no outrage when that happened? Why do not members opposite demand that Broomehill Police Station be reopened? Come on! An opposition member interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The opposition will; that is good. Shall I provide members opposite with a comprehensive list of the rural police stations that were closed when the coalition was in government? Should I nail a sign to the member for Stirling’s electorate door that reads “The coalition government closed Broomehill Police Station”? The member has asserted that we closed Hilton Police Station. How many police are now stationed in regional Western Australia compared with those who were stationed in regional areas when the National and Liberal parties were in government? Do members think that there are now more or fewer police officers in regional Western Australia? The information that I have been provided with indicates that the number of police officers assigned to country areas has increased by 155 since - An opposition member: What about ratio to population? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The ratio to population debate! The member for Stirling knows a fair bit about the areas in the southern wheatbelt area. What does he reckon the population growth in Cranbrook, Tambellup and Broomehill has been in the past six years? Mr B.J. Grylls : One to two per cent. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Does the Leader of the National Party think that an extra 155 police officers in regional Western Australia might be a bit above the ratio demanded by population growth? I have a feeling it is. The next time the member is talking to the people of Cranbrook, he should drive to Broomehill and say, “Oh, by the way, we should never have closed Broomehill Police Station. I promise you we’ll reopen it.” The Leader of the National Party will not do that. How many regional police stations have been opened since we came to government compared with the number that were opened during the time that the Liberal and National Parties were in government? Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The Leader of the Opposition was a minister in the coalition government. A former coalition police minister is in the chamber. He is avoiding eye contact and keeping very quiet. Mr J.H.D. Day : I was doing something more productive! Look at me! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The member for Darling Range is a good man! I hate to admit this - Several members interjected. THE SPEAKER (Mr F. Riebeling) : I think we should avoid eye contact! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Ever since the member for Darling Range’s university days, I have taken a perverse delight in looking at him! He used to be a very attractive young man! Mr R.F. Johnson interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is a free society. A total of 16 police stations have been opened in regional Western Australia by this government, compared with only 11 country police stations opened during the Liberal-National Party’s eight-year term; that is, 16 versus 11. The coalition closed Broomehill Police Station, did it not? Where is the outrage about Broomehill? Does that town not count any more? One hundred and fifty-five additional police have been stationed in regional Western Australia, not to mention, for example, that unemployment in regional WA has fallen to record lows, declining from 7.5 per cent in June 2001 to 3.88 per cent in the June 2006 quarter. There have been 22 major regional health capital works programs completed, or to be completed, in 2007, including new and replacement hospitals, health centres and dental clinics, with 10 additional projects due for completion in the next few years. Mr B.J. Grylls : Why does the community not thank you for it? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What about the schools? Does the Leader of the National Party have a question about schools? I will leave that to the education minister; otherwise, I will tell members about them also. I will leave that for another day. Members opposite should not believe what the spin doctors on their side are saying. They are not as good as ours. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The West Australian did not complete its examination, nor did the member for Vasse, of my spin doctors. There are two spin doctors in my office who disguise themselves as cleaners! They were the only two employees in my office who were not caught in the spin doctor net. Everyone else in my office, including Val and Denise on the front desk, are, of course, spin doctors! My office employs more spin doctors than there are cricket teams in India! We have many spin doctors! My two cleaners are spin doctors who organise all my lines for me every morning! When I go into my office, all the spin doctor lines are laid out for me! The words on this paper are those lines! Apparently they are doing a better job than are the Leader of the National Party’s spin doctors, and I thank them for that. All the figures for schools, hospitals and police are better - Mr B.J. Grylls interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I did not say that. Mr B.J. Grylls : That is what you just said. You said, “They’ve never had it so good.” Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. Did anyone hear me say those words? They were the Prime Minister’s words.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes, the Broomehill Police Station was closed when the coalition was in government. Why was there no outrage when that happened? Why do not members opposite demand that Broomehill Police Station be reopened? Come on! An opposition member interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The opposition will; that is good. Shall I provide members opposite with a comprehensive list of the rural police stations that were closed when the coalition was in government? Should I nail a sign to the member for Stirling’s electorate door that reads “The coalition government closed Broomehill Police Station”? The member has asserted that we closed Hilton Police Station. How many police are now stationed in regional Western Australia compared with those who were stationed in regional areas when the National and Liberal parties were in government? Do members think that there are now more or fewer police officers in regional Western Australia? The information that I have been provided with indicates that the number of police officers assigned to country areas has increased by 155 since - An opposition member: What about ratio to population? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The ratio to population debate! The member for Stirling knows a fair bit about the areas in the southern wheatbelt area. What does he reckon the population growth in Cranbrook, Tambellup and Broomehill has been in the past six years? Mr B.J. Grylls : One to two per cent. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Does the Leader of the National Party think that an extra 155 police officers in regional Western Australia might be a bit above the ratio demanded by population growth? I have a feeling it is. The next time the member is talking to the people of Cranbrook, he should drive to Broomehill and say, “Oh, by the way, we should never have closed Broomehill Police Station. I promise you we’ll reopen it.” The Leader of the National Party will not do that. How many regional police stations have been opened since we came to government compared with the number that were opened during the time that the Liberal and National Parties were in government? Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The Leader of the Opposition was a minister in the coalition government. A former coalition police minister is in the chamber. He is avoiding eye contact and keeping very quiet. Mr J.H.D. Day : I was doing something more productive! Look at me! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The member for Darling Range is a good man! I hate to admit this - Several members interjected. THE SPEAKER (Mr F. Riebeling) : I think we should avoid eye contact! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Ever since the member for Darling Range’s university days, I have taken a perverse delight in looking at him! He used to be a very attractive young man! Mr R.F. Johnson interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is a free society. A total of 16 police stations have been opened in regional Western Australia by this government, compared with only 11 country police stations opened during the Liberal-National Party’s eight-year term; that is, 16 versus 11. The coalition closed Broomehill Police Station, did it not? Where is the outrage about Broomehill? Does that town not count any more? One hundred and fifty-five additional police have been stationed in regional Western Australia, not to mention, for example, that unemployment in regional WA has fallen to record lows, declining from 7.5 per cent in June 2001 to 3.88 per cent in the June 2006 quarter. There have been 22 major regional health capital works programs completed, or to be completed, in 2007, including new and replacement hospitals, health centres and dental clinics, with 10 additional projects due for completion in the next few years. Mr B.J. Grylls : Why does the community not thank you for it? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What about the schools? Does the Leader of the National Party have a question about schools? I will leave that to the education minister; otherwise, I will tell members about them also. I will leave that for another day. Members opposite should not believe what the spin doctors on their side are saying. They are not as good as ours. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The West Australian did not complete its examination, nor did the member for Vasse, of my spin doctors. There are two spin doctors in my office who disguise themselves as cleaners! They were the only two employees in my office who were not caught in the spin doctor net. Everyone else in my office, including Val and Denise on the front desk, are, of course, spin doctors! My office employs more spin doctors than there are cricket teams in India! We have many spin doctors! My two cleaners are spin doctors who organise all my lines for me every morning! When I go into my office, all the spin doctor lines are laid out for me! The words on this paper are those lines! Apparently they are doing a better job than are the Leader of the National Party’s spin doctors, and I thank them for that. All the figures for schools, hospitals and police are better - Mr B.J. Grylls interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I did not say that. Mr B.J. Grylls : That is what you just said. You said, “They’ve never had it so good.” Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. Did anyone hear me say those words? They were the Prime Minister’s words.
An opposition member interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The opposition will; that is good. Shall I provide members opposite with a comprehensive list of the rural police stations that were closed when the coalition was in government? Should I nail a sign to the member for Stirling’s electorate door that reads “The coalition government closed Broomehill Police Station”? The member has asserted that we closed Hilton Police Station. How many police are now stationed in regional Western Australia compared with those who were stationed in regional areas when the National and Liberal parties were in government? Do members think that there are now more or fewer police officers in regional Western Australia? The information that I have been provided with indicates that the number of police officers assigned to country areas has increased by 155 since - An opposition member: What about ratio to population? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The ratio to population debate! The member for Stirling knows a fair bit about the areas in the southern wheatbelt area. What does he reckon the population growth in Cranbrook, Tambellup and Broomehill has been in the past six years? Mr B.J. Grylls : One to two per cent. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Does the Leader of the National Party think that an extra 155 police officers in regional Western Australia might be a bit above the ratio demanded by population growth? I have a feeling it is. The next time the member is talking to the people of Cranbrook, he should drive to Broomehill and say, “Oh, by the way, we should never have closed Broomehill Police Station. I promise you we’ll reopen it.” The Leader of the National Party will not do that. How many regional police stations have been opened since we came to government compared with the number that were opened during the time that the Liberal and National Parties were in government? Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The Leader of the Opposition was a minister in the coalition government. A former coalition police minister is in the chamber. He is avoiding eye contact and keeping very quiet. Mr J.H.D. Day : I was doing something more productive! Look at me! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The member for Darling Range is a good man! I hate to admit this - Several members interjected. THE SPEAKER (Mr F. Riebeling) : I think we should avoid eye contact! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Ever since the member for Darling Range’s university days, I have taken a perverse delight in looking at him! He used to be a very attractive young man! Mr R.F. Johnson interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is a free society. A total of 16 police stations have been opened in regional Western Australia by this government, compared with only 11 country police stations opened during the Liberal-National Party’s eight-year term; that is, 16 versus 11. The coalition closed Broomehill Police Station, did it not? Where is the outrage about Broomehill? Does that town not count any more? One hundred and fifty-five additional police have been stationed in regional Western Australia, not to mention, for example, that unemployment in regional WA has fallen to record lows, declining from 7.5 per cent in June 2001 to 3.88 per cent in the June 2006 quarter. There have been 22 major regional health capital works programs completed, or to be completed, in 2007, including new and replacement hospitals, health centres and dental clinics, with 10 additional projects due for completion in the next few years. Mr B.J. Grylls : Why does the community not thank you for it? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What about the schools? Does the Leader of the National Party have a question about schools? I will leave that to the education minister; otherwise, I will tell members about them also. I will leave that for another day. Members opposite should not believe what the spin doctors on their side are saying. They are not as good as ours. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The West Australian did not complete its examination, nor did the member for Vasse, of my spin doctors. There are two spin doctors in my office who disguise themselves as cleaners! They were the only two employees in my office who were not caught in the spin doctor net. Everyone else in my office, including Val and Denise on the front desk, are, of course, spin doctors! My office employs more spin doctors than there are cricket teams in India! We have many spin doctors! My two cleaners are spin doctors who organise all my lines for me every morning! When I go into my office, all the spin doctor lines are laid out for me! The words on this paper are those lines! Apparently they are doing a better job than are the Leader of the National Party’s spin doctors, and I thank them for that. All the figures for schools, hospitals and police are better - Mr B.J. Grylls interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I did not say that. Mr B.J. Grylls : That is what you just said. You said, “They’ve never had it so good.” Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. Did anyone hear me say those words? They were the Prime Minister’s words.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The opposition will; that is good. Shall I provide members opposite with a comprehensive list of the rural police stations that were closed when the coalition was in government? Should I nail a sign to the member for Stirling’s electorate door that reads “The coalition government closed Broomehill Police Station”? The member has asserted that we closed Hilton Police Station. How many police are now stationed in regional Western Australia compared with those who were stationed in regional areas when the National and Liberal parties were in government? Do members think that there are now more or fewer police officers in regional Western Australia? The information that I have been provided with indicates that the number of police officers assigned to country areas has increased by 155 since - An opposition member: What about ratio to population? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The ratio to population debate! The member for Stirling knows a fair bit about the areas in the southern wheatbelt area. What does he reckon the population growth in Cranbrook, Tambellup and Broomehill has been in the past six years? Mr B.J. Grylls : One to two per cent. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Does the Leader of the National Party think that an extra 155 police officers in regional Western Australia might be a bit above the ratio demanded by population growth? I have a feeling it is. The next time the member is talking to the people of Cranbrook, he should drive to Broomehill and say, “Oh, by the way, we should never have closed Broomehill Police Station. I promise you we’ll reopen it.” The Leader of the National Party will not do that. How many regional police stations have been opened since we came to government compared with the number that were opened during the time that the Liberal and National Parties were in government? Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The Leader of the Opposition was a minister in the coalition government. A former coalition police minister is in the chamber. He is avoiding eye contact and keeping very quiet. Mr J.H.D. Day : I was doing something more productive! Look at me! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The member for Darling Range is a good man! I hate to admit this - Several members interjected. THE SPEAKER (Mr F. Riebeling) : I think we should avoid eye contact! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Ever since the member for Darling Range’s university days, I have taken a perverse delight in looking at him! He used to be a very attractive young man! Mr R.F. Johnson interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is a free society. A total of 16 police stations have been opened in regional Western Australia by this government, compared with only 11 country police stations opened during the Liberal-National Party’s eight-year term; that is, 16 versus 11. The coalition closed Broomehill Police Station, did it not? Where is the outrage about Broomehill? Does that town not count any more? One hundred and fifty-five additional police have been stationed in regional Western Australia, not to mention, for example, that unemployment in regional WA has fallen to record lows, declining from 7.5 per cent in June 2001 to 3.88 per cent in the June 2006 quarter. There have been 22 major regional health capital works programs completed, or to be completed, in 2007, including new and replacement hospitals, health centres and dental clinics, with 10 additional projects due for completion in the next few years. Mr B.J. Grylls : Why does the community not thank you for it? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What about the schools? Does the Leader of the National Party have a question about schools? I will leave that to the education minister; otherwise, I will tell members about them also. I will leave that for another day. Members opposite should not believe what the spin doctors on their side are saying. They are not as good as ours. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The West Australian did not complete its examination, nor did the member for Vasse, of my spin doctors. There are two spin doctors in my office who disguise themselves as cleaners! They were the only two employees in my office who were not caught in the spin doctor net. Everyone else in my office, including Val and Denise on the front desk, are, of course, spin doctors! My office employs more spin doctors than there are cricket teams in India! We have many spin doctors! My two cleaners are spin doctors who organise all my lines for me every morning! When I go into my office, all the spin doctor lines are laid out for me! The words on this paper are those lines! Apparently they are doing a better job than are the Leader of the National Party’s spin doctors, and I thank them for that. All the figures for schools, hospitals and police are better - Mr B.J. Grylls interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I did not say that. Mr B.J. Grylls : That is what you just said. You said, “They’ve never had it so good.” Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. Did anyone hear me say those words? They were the Prime Minister’s words.
An opposition member: What about ratio to population? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The ratio to population debate! The member for Stirling knows a fair bit about the areas in the southern wheatbelt area. What does he reckon the population growth in Cranbrook, Tambellup and Broomehill has been in the past six years? Mr B.J. Grylls : One to two per cent. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Does the Leader of the National Party think that an extra 155 police officers in regional Western Australia might be a bit above the ratio demanded by population growth? I have a feeling it is. The next time the member is talking to the people of Cranbrook, he should drive to Broomehill and say, “Oh, by the way, we should never have closed Broomehill Police Station. I promise you we’ll reopen it.” The Leader of the National Party will not do that. How many regional police stations have been opened since we came to government compared with the number that were opened during the time that the Liberal and National Parties were in government? Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The Leader of the Opposition was a minister in the coalition government. A former coalition police minister is in the chamber. He is avoiding eye contact and keeping very quiet. Mr J.H.D. Day : I was doing something more productive! Look at me! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The member for Darling Range is a good man! I hate to admit this - Several members interjected. THE SPEAKER (Mr F. Riebeling) : I think we should avoid eye contact! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Ever since the member for Darling Range’s university days, I have taken a perverse delight in looking at him! He used to be a very attractive young man! Mr R.F. Johnson interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is a free society. A total of 16 police stations have been opened in regional Western Australia by this government, compared with only 11 country police stations opened during the Liberal-National Party’s eight-year term; that is, 16 versus 11. The coalition closed Broomehill Police Station, did it not? Where is the outrage about Broomehill? Does that town not count any more? One hundred and fifty-five additional police have been stationed in regional Western Australia, not to mention, for example, that unemployment in regional WA has fallen to record lows, declining from 7.5 per cent in June 2001 to 3.88 per cent in the June 2006 quarter. There have been 22 major regional health capital works programs completed, or to be completed, in 2007, including new and replacement hospitals, health centres and dental clinics, with 10 additional projects due for completion in the next few years. Mr B.J. Grylls : Why does the community not thank you for it? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What about the schools? Does the Leader of the National Party have a question about schools? I will leave that to the education minister; otherwise, I will tell members about them also. I will leave that for another day. Members opposite should not believe what the spin doctors on their side are saying. They are not as good as ours. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The West Australian did not complete its examination, nor did the member for Vasse, of my spin doctors. There are two spin doctors in my office who disguise themselves as cleaners! They were the only two employees in my office who were not caught in the spin doctor net. Everyone else in my office, including Val and Denise on the front desk, are, of course, spin doctors! My office employs more spin doctors than there are cricket teams in India! We have many spin doctors! My two cleaners are spin doctors who organise all my lines for me every morning! When I go into my office, all the spin doctor lines are laid out for me! The words on this paper are those lines! Apparently they are doing a better job than are the Leader of the National Party’s spin doctors, and I thank them for that. All the figures for schools, hospitals and police are better - Mr B.J. Grylls interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I did not say that. Mr B.J. Grylls : That is what you just said. You said, “They’ve never had it so good.” Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. Did anyone hear me say those words? They were the Prime Minister’s words.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The ratio to population debate! The member for Stirling knows a fair bit about the areas in the southern wheatbelt area. What does he reckon the population growth in Cranbrook, Tambellup and Broomehill has been in the past six years? Mr B.J. Grylls : One to two per cent. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Does the Leader of the National Party think that an extra 155 police officers in regional Western Australia might be a bit above the ratio demanded by population growth? I have a feeling it is. The next time the member is talking to the people of Cranbrook, he should drive to Broomehill and say, “Oh, by the way, we should never have closed Broomehill Police Station. I promise you we’ll reopen it.” The Leader of the National Party will not do that. How many regional police stations have been opened since we came to government compared with the number that were opened during the time that the Liberal and National Parties were in government? Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The Leader of the Opposition was a minister in the coalition government. A former coalition police minister is in the chamber. He is avoiding eye contact and keeping very quiet. Mr J.H.D. Day : I was doing something more productive! Look at me! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The member for Darling Range is a good man! I hate to admit this - Several members interjected. THE SPEAKER (Mr F. Riebeling) : I think we should avoid eye contact! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Ever since the member for Darling Range’s university days, I have taken a perverse delight in looking at him! He used to be a very attractive young man! Mr R.F. Johnson interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is a free society. A total of 16 police stations have been opened in regional Western Australia by this government, compared with only 11 country police stations opened during the Liberal-National Party’s eight-year term; that is, 16 versus 11. The coalition closed Broomehill Police Station, did it not? Where is the outrage about Broomehill? Does that town not count any more? One hundred and fifty-five additional police have been stationed in regional Western Australia, not to mention, for example, that unemployment in regional WA has fallen to record lows, declining from 7.5 per cent in June 2001 to 3.88 per cent in the June 2006 quarter. There have been 22 major regional health capital works programs completed, or to be completed, in 2007, including new and replacement hospitals, health centres and dental clinics, with 10 additional projects due for completion in the next few years. Mr B.J. Grylls : Why does the community not thank you for it? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What about the schools? Does the Leader of the National Party have a question about schools? I will leave that to the education minister; otherwise, I will tell members about them also. I will leave that for another day. Members opposite should not believe what the spin doctors on their side are saying. They are not as good as ours. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The West Australian did not complete its examination, nor did the member for Vasse, of my spin doctors. There are two spin doctors in my office who disguise themselves as cleaners! They were the only two employees in my office who were not caught in the spin doctor net. Everyone else in my office, including Val and Denise on the front desk, are, of course, spin doctors! My office employs more spin doctors than there are cricket teams in India! We have many spin doctors! My two cleaners are spin doctors who organise all my lines for me every morning! When I go into my office, all the spin doctor lines are laid out for me! The words on this paper are those lines! Apparently they are doing a better job than are the Leader of the National Party’s spin doctors, and I thank them for that. All the figures for schools, hospitals and police are better - Mr B.J. Grylls interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I did not say that. Mr B.J. Grylls : That is what you just said. You said, “They’ve never had it so good.” Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. Did anyone hear me say those words? They were the Prime Minister’s words.
Mr B.J. Grylls : One to two per cent. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Does the Leader of the National Party think that an extra 155 police officers in regional Western Australia might be a bit above the ratio demanded by population growth? I have a feeling it is. The next time the member is talking to the people of Cranbrook, he should drive to Broomehill and say, “Oh, by the way, we should never have closed Broomehill Police Station. I promise you we’ll reopen it.” The Leader of the National Party will not do that. How many regional police stations have been opened since we came to government compared with the number that were opened during the time that the Liberal and National Parties were in government? Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The Leader of the Opposition was a minister in the coalition government. A former coalition police minister is in the chamber. He is avoiding eye contact and keeping very quiet. Mr J.H.D. Day : I was doing something more productive! Look at me! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The member for Darling Range is a good man! I hate to admit this - Several members interjected. THE SPEAKER (Mr F. Riebeling) : I think we should avoid eye contact! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Ever since the member for Darling Range’s university days, I have taken a perverse delight in looking at him! He used to be a very attractive young man! Mr R.F. Johnson interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is a free society. A total of 16 police stations have been opened in regional Western Australia by this government, compared with only 11 country police stations opened during the Liberal-National Party’s eight-year term; that is, 16 versus 11. The coalition closed Broomehill Police Station, did it not? Where is the outrage about Broomehill? Does that town not count any more? One hundred and fifty-five additional police have been stationed in regional Western Australia, not to mention, for example, that unemployment in regional WA has fallen to record lows, declining from 7.5 per cent in June 2001 to 3.88 per cent in the June 2006 quarter. There have been 22 major regional health capital works programs completed, or to be completed, in 2007, including new and replacement hospitals, health centres and dental clinics, with 10 additional projects due for completion in the next few years. Mr B.J. Grylls : Why does the community not thank you for it? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What about the schools? Does the Leader of the National Party have a question about schools? I will leave that to the education minister; otherwise, I will tell members about them also. I will leave that for another day. Members opposite should not believe what the spin doctors on their side are saying. They are not as good as ours. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The West Australian did not complete its examination, nor did the member for Vasse, of my spin doctors. There are two spin doctors in my office who disguise themselves as cleaners! They were the only two employees in my office who were not caught in the spin doctor net. Everyone else in my office, including Val and Denise on the front desk, are, of course, spin doctors! My office employs more spin doctors than there are cricket teams in India! We have many spin doctors! My two cleaners are spin doctors who organise all my lines for me every morning! When I go into my office, all the spin doctor lines are laid out for me! The words on this paper are those lines! Apparently they are doing a better job than are the Leader of the National Party’s spin doctors, and I thank them for that. All the figures for schools, hospitals and police are better - Mr B.J. Grylls interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I did not say that. Mr B.J. Grylls : That is what you just said. You said, “They’ve never had it so good.” Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. Did anyone hear me say those words? They were the Prime Minister’s words.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Does the Leader of the National Party think that an extra 155 police officers in regional Western Australia might be a bit above the ratio demanded by population growth? I have a feeling it is. The next time the member is talking to the people of Cranbrook, he should drive to Broomehill and say, “Oh, by the way, we should never have closed Broomehill Police Station. I promise you we’ll reopen it.” The Leader of the National Party will not do that. How many regional police stations have been opened since we came to government compared with the number that were opened during the time that the Liberal and National Parties were in government? Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The Leader of the Opposition was a minister in the coalition government. A former coalition police minister is in the chamber. He is avoiding eye contact and keeping very quiet. Mr J.H.D. Day : I was doing something more productive! Look at me! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The member for Darling Range is a good man! I hate to admit this - Several members interjected. THE SPEAKER (Mr F. Riebeling) : I think we should avoid eye contact! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Ever since the member for Darling Range’s university days, I have taken a perverse delight in looking at him! He used to be a very attractive young man! Mr R.F. Johnson interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is a free society. A total of 16 police stations have been opened in regional Western Australia by this government, compared with only 11 country police stations opened during the Liberal-National Party’s eight-year term; that is, 16 versus 11. The coalition closed Broomehill Police Station, did it not? Where is the outrage about Broomehill? Does that town not count any more? One hundred and fifty-five additional police have been stationed in regional Western Australia, not to mention, for example, that unemployment in regional WA has fallen to record lows, declining from 7.5 per cent in June 2001 to 3.88 per cent in the June 2006 quarter. There have been 22 major regional health capital works programs completed, or to be completed, in 2007, including new and replacement hospitals, health centres and dental clinics, with 10 additional projects due for completion in the next few years. Mr B.J. Grylls : Why does the community not thank you for it? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What about the schools? Does the Leader of the National Party have a question about schools? I will leave that to the education minister; otherwise, I will tell members about them also. I will leave that for another day. Members opposite should not believe what the spin doctors on their side are saying. They are not as good as ours. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The West Australian did not complete its examination, nor did the member for Vasse, of my spin doctors. There are two spin doctors in my office who disguise themselves as cleaners! They were the only two employees in my office who were not caught in the spin doctor net. Everyone else in my office, including Val and Denise on the front desk, are, of course, spin doctors! My office employs more spin doctors than there are cricket teams in India! We have many spin doctors! My two cleaners are spin doctors who organise all my lines for me every morning! When I go into my office, all the spin doctor lines are laid out for me! The words on this paper are those lines! Apparently they are doing a better job than are the Leader of the National Party’s spin doctors, and I thank them for that. All the figures for schools, hospitals and police are better - Mr B.J. Grylls interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I did not say that. Mr B.J. Grylls : That is what you just said. You said, “They’ve never had it so good.” Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. Did anyone hear me say those words? They were the Prime Minister’s words.
Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The Leader of the Opposition was a minister in the coalition government. A former coalition police minister is in the chamber. He is avoiding eye contact and keeping very quiet. Mr J.H.D. Day : I was doing something more productive! Look at me! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The member for Darling Range is a good man! I hate to admit this - Several members interjected. THE SPEAKER (Mr F. Riebeling) : I think we should avoid eye contact! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Ever since the member for Darling Range’s university days, I have taken a perverse delight in looking at him! He used to be a very attractive young man! Mr R.F. Johnson interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is a free society. A total of 16 police stations have been opened in regional Western Australia by this government, compared with only 11 country police stations opened during the Liberal-National Party’s eight-year term; that is, 16 versus 11. The coalition closed Broomehill Police Station, did it not? Where is the outrage about Broomehill? Does that town not count any more? One hundred and fifty-five additional police have been stationed in regional Western Australia, not to mention, for example, that unemployment in regional WA has fallen to record lows, declining from 7.5 per cent in June 2001 to 3.88 per cent in the June 2006 quarter. There have been 22 major regional health capital works programs completed, or to be completed, in 2007, including new and replacement hospitals, health centres and dental clinics, with 10 additional projects due for completion in the next few years. Mr B.J. Grylls : Why does the community not thank you for it? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What about the schools? Does the Leader of the National Party have a question about schools? I will leave that to the education minister; otherwise, I will tell members about them also. I will leave that for another day. Members opposite should not believe what the spin doctors on their side are saying. They are not as good as ours. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The West Australian did not complete its examination, nor did the member for Vasse, of my spin doctors. There are two spin doctors in my office who disguise themselves as cleaners! They were the only two employees in my office who were not caught in the spin doctor net. Everyone else in my office, including Val and Denise on the front desk, are, of course, spin doctors! My office employs more spin doctors than there are cricket teams in India! We have many spin doctors! My two cleaners are spin doctors who organise all my lines for me every morning! When I go into my office, all the spin doctor lines are laid out for me! The words on this paper are those lines! Apparently they are doing a better job than are the Leader of the National Party’s spin doctors, and I thank them for that. All the figures for schools, hospitals and police are better - Mr B.J. Grylls interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I did not say that. Mr B.J. Grylls : That is what you just said. You said, “They’ve never had it so good.” Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. Did anyone hear me say those words? They were the Prime Minister’s words.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The Leader of the Opposition was a minister in the coalition government. A former coalition police minister is in the chamber. He is avoiding eye contact and keeping very quiet. Mr J.H.D. Day : I was doing something more productive! Look at me! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The member for Darling Range is a good man! I hate to admit this - Several members interjected. THE SPEAKER (Mr F. Riebeling) : I think we should avoid eye contact! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Ever since the member for Darling Range’s university days, I have taken a perverse delight in looking at him! He used to be a very attractive young man! Mr R.F. Johnson interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is a free society. A total of 16 police stations have been opened in regional Western Australia by this government, compared with only 11 country police stations opened during the Liberal-National Party’s eight-year term; that is, 16 versus 11. The coalition closed Broomehill Police Station, did it not? Where is the outrage about Broomehill? Does that town not count any more? One hundred and fifty-five additional police have been stationed in regional Western Australia, not to mention, for example, that unemployment in regional WA has fallen to record lows, declining from 7.5 per cent in June 2001 to 3.88 per cent in the June 2006 quarter. There have been 22 major regional health capital works programs completed, or to be completed, in 2007, including new and replacement hospitals, health centres and dental clinics, with 10 additional projects due for completion in the next few years. Mr B.J. Grylls : Why does the community not thank you for it? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What about the schools? Does the Leader of the National Party have a question about schools? I will leave that to the education minister; otherwise, I will tell members about them also. I will leave that for another day. Members opposite should not believe what the spin doctors on their side are saying. They are not as good as ours. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The West Australian did not complete its examination, nor did the member for Vasse, of my spin doctors. There are two spin doctors in my office who disguise themselves as cleaners! They were the only two employees in my office who were not caught in the spin doctor net. Everyone else in my office, including Val and Denise on the front desk, are, of course, spin doctors! My office employs more spin doctors than there are cricket teams in India! We have many spin doctors! My two cleaners are spin doctors who organise all my lines for me every morning! When I go into my office, all the spin doctor lines are laid out for me! The words on this paper are those lines! Apparently they are doing a better job than are the Leader of the National Party’s spin doctors, and I thank them for that. All the figures for schools, hospitals and police are better - Mr B.J. Grylls interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I did not say that. Mr B.J. Grylls : That is what you just said. You said, “They’ve never had it so good.” Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. Did anyone hear me say those words? They were the Prime Minister’s words.
Mr J.H.D. Day : I was doing something more productive! Look at me! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The member for Darling Range is a good man! I hate to admit this - Several members interjected. THE SPEAKER (Mr F. Riebeling) : I think we should avoid eye contact! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Ever since the member for Darling Range’s university days, I have taken a perverse delight in looking at him! He used to be a very attractive young man! Mr R.F. Johnson interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is a free society. A total of 16 police stations have been opened in regional Western Australia by this government, compared with only 11 country police stations opened during the Liberal-National Party’s eight-year term; that is, 16 versus 11. The coalition closed Broomehill Police Station, did it not? Where is the outrage about Broomehill? Does that town not count any more? One hundred and fifty-five additional police have been stationed in regional Western Australia, not to mention, for example, that unemployment in regional WA has fallen to record lows, declining from 7.5 per cent in June 2001 to 3.88 per cent in the June 2006 quarter. There have been 22 major regional health capital works programs completed, or to be completed, in 2007, including new and replacement hospitals, health centres and dental clinics, with 10 additional projects due for completion in the next few years. Mr B.J. Grylls : Why does the community not thank you for it? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What about the schools? Does the Leader of the National Party have a question about schools? I will leave that to the education minister; otherwise, I will tell members about them also. I will leave that for another day. Members opposite should not believe what the spin doctors on their side are saying. They are not as good as ours. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The West Australian did not complete its examination, nor did the member for Vasse, of my spin doctors. There are two spin doctors in my office who disguise themselves as cleaners! They were the only two employees in my office who were not caught in the spin doctor net. Everyone else in my office, including Val and Denise on the front desk, are, of course, spin doctors! My office employs more spin doctors than there are cricket teams in India! We have many spin doctors! My two cleaners are spin doctors who organise all my lines for me every morning! When I go into my office, all the spin doctor lines are laid out for me! The words on this paper are those lines! Apparently they are doing a better job than are the Leader of the National Party’s spin doctors, and I thank them for that. All the figures for schools, hospitals and police are better - Mr B.J. Grylls interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I did not say that. Mr B.J. Grylls : That is what you just said. You said, “They’ve never had it so good.” Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. Did anyone hear me say those words? They were the Prime Minister’s words.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The member for Darling Range is a good man! I hate to admit this - Several members interjected. THE SPEAKER (Mr F. Riebeling) : I think we should avoid eye contact! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Ever since the member for Darling Range’s university days, I have taken a perverse delight in looking at him! He used to be a very attractive young man! Mr R.F. Johnson interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is a free society. A total of 16 police stations have been opened in regional Western Australia by this government, compared with only 11 country police stations opened during the Liberal-National Party’s eight-year term; that is, 16 versus 11. The coalition closed Broomehill Police Station, did it not? Where is the outrage about Broomehill? Does that town not count any more? One hundred and fifty-five additional police have been stationed in regional Western Australia, not to mention, for example, that unemployment in regional WA has fallen to record lows, declining from 7.5 per cent in June 2001 to 3.88 per cent in the June 2006 quarter. There have been 22 major regional health capital works programs completed, or to be completed, in 2007, including new and replacement hospitals, health centres and dental clinics, with 10 additional projects due for completion in the next few years. Mr B.J. Grylls : Why does the community not thank you for it? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What about the schools? Does the Leader of the National Party have a question about schools? I will leave that to the education minister; otherwise, I will tell members about them also. I will leave that for another day. Members opposite should not believe what the spin doctors on their side are saying. They are not as good as ours. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The West Australian did not complete its examination, nor did the member for Vasse, of my spin doctors. There are two spin doctors in my office who disguise themselves as cleaners! They were the only two employees in my office who were not caught in the spin doctor net. Everyone else in my office, including Val and Denise on the front desk, are, of course, spin doctors! My office employs more spin doctors than there are cricket teams in India! We have many spin doctors! My two cleaners are spin doctors who organise all my lines for me every morning! When I go into my office, all the spin doctor lines are laid out for me! The words on this paper are those lines! Apparently they are doing a better job than are the Leader of the National Party’s spin doctors, and I thank them for that. All the figures for schools, hospitals and police are better - Mr B.J. Grylls interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I did not say that. Mr B.J. Grylls : That is what you just said. You said, “They’ve never had it so good.” Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. Did anyone hear me say those words? They were the Prime Minister’s words.
Several members interjected. THE SPEAKER (Mr F. Riebeling) : I think we should avoid eye contact! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Ever since the member for Darling Range’s university days, I have taken a perverse delight in looking at him! He used to be a very attractive young man! Mr R.F. Johnson interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is a free society. A total of 16 police stations have been opened in regional Western Australia by this government, compared with only 11 country police stations opened during the Liberal-National Party’s eight-year term; that is, 16 versus 11. The coalition closed Broomehill Police Station, did it not? Where is the outrage about Broomehill? Does that town not count any more? One hundred and fifty-five additional police have been stationed in regional Western Australia, not to mention, for example, that unemployment in regional WA has fallen to record lows, declining from 7.5 per cent in June 2001 to 3.88 per cent in the June 2006 quarter. There have been 22 major regional health capital works programs completed, or to be completed, in 2007, including new and replacement hospitals, health centres and dental clinics, with 10 additional projects due for completion in the next few years. Mr B.J. Grylls : Why does the community not thank you for it? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What about the schools? Does the Leader of the National Party have a question about schools? I will leave that to the education minister; otherwise, I will tell members about them also. I will leave that for another day. Members opposite should not believe what the spin doctors on their side are saying. They are not as good as ours. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The West Australian did not complete its examination, nor did the member for Vasse, of my spin doctors. There are two spin doctors in my office who disguise themselves as cleaners! They were the only two employees in my office who were not caught in the spin doctor net. Everyone else in my office, including Val and Denise on the front desk, are, of course, spin doctors! My office employs more spin doctors than there are cricket teams in India! We have many spin doctors! My two cleaners are spin doctors who organise all my lines for me every morning! When I go into my office, all the spin doctor lines are laid out for me! The words on this paper are those lines! Apparently they are doing a better job than are the Leader of the National Party’s spin doctors, and I thank them for that. All the figures for schools, hospitals and police are better - Mr B.J. Grylls interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I did not say that. Mr B.J. Grylls : That is what you just said. You said, “They’ve never had it so good.” Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. Did anyone hear me say those words? They were the Prime Minister’s words.
THE SPEAKER (Mr F. Riebeling) : I think we should avoid eye contact! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Ever since the member for Darling Range’s university days, I have taken a perverse delight in looking at him! He used to be a very attractive young man! Mr R.F. Johnson interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is a free society. A total of 16 police stations have been opened in regional Western Australia by this government, compared with only 11 country police stations opened during the Liberal-National Party’s eight-year term; that is, 16 versus 11. The coalition closed Broomehill Police Station, did it not? Where is the outrage about Broomehill? Does that town not count any more? One hundred and fifty-five additional police have been stationed in regional Western Australia, not to mention, for example, that unemployment in regional WA has fallen to record lows, declining from 7.5 per cent in June 2001 to 3.88 per cent in the June 2006 quarter. There have been 22 major regional health capital works programs completed, or to be completed, in 2007, including new and replacement hospitals, health centres and dental clinics, with 10 additional projects due for completion in the next few years. Mr B.J. Grylls : Why does the community not thank you for it? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What about the schools? Does the Leader of the National Party have a question about schools? I will leave that to the education minister; otherwise, I will tell members about them also. I will leave that for another day. Members opposite should not believe what the spin doctors on their side are saying. They are not as good as ours. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The West Australian did not complete its examination, nor did the member for Vasse, of my spin doctors. There are two spin doctors in my office who disguise themselves as cleaners! They were the only two employees in my office who were not caught in the spin doctor net. Everyone else in my office, including Val and Denise on the front desk, are, of course, spin doctors! My office employs more spin doctors than there are cricket teams in India! We have many spin doctors! My two cleaners are spin doctors who organise all my lines for me every morning! When I go into my office, all the spin doctor lines are laid out for me! The words on this paper are those lines! Apparently they are doing a better job than are the Leader of the National Party’s spin doctors, and I thank them for that. All the figures for schools, hospitals and police are better - Mr B.J. Grylls interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I did not say that. Mr B.J. Grylls : That is what you just said. You said, “They’ve never had it so good.” Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. Did anyone hear me say those words? They were the Prime Minister’s words.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Ever since the member for Darling Range’s university days, I have taken a perverse delight in looking at him! He used to be a very attractive young man! Mr R.F. Johnson interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is a free society. A total of 16 police stations have been opened in regional Western Australia by this government, compared with only 11 country police stations opened during the Liberal-National Party’s eight-year term; that is, 16 versus 11. The coalition closed Broomehill Police Station, did it not? Where is the outrage about Broomehill? Does that town not count any more? One hundred and fifty-five additional police have been stationed in regional Western Australia, not to mention, for example, that unemployment in regional WA has fallen to record lows, declining from 7.5 per cent in June 2001 to 3.88 per cent in the June 2006 quarter. There have been 22 major regional health capital works programs completed, or to be completed, in 2007, including new and replacement hospitals, health centres and dental clinics, with 10 additional projects due for completion in the next few years. Mr B.J. Grylls : Why does the community not thank you for it? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What about the schools? Does the Leader of the National Party have a question about schools? I will leave that to the education minister; otherwise, I will tell members about them also. I will leave that for another day. Members opposite should not believe what the spin doctors on their side are saying. They are not as good as ours. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The West Australian did not complete its examination, nor did the member for Vasse, of my spin doctors. There are two spin doctors in my office who disguise themselves as cleaners! They were the only two employees in my office who were not caught in the spin doctor net. Everyone else in my office, including Val and Denise on the front desk, are, of course, spin doctors! My office employs more spin doctors than there are cricket teams in India! We have many spin doctors! My two cleaners are spin doctors who organise all my lines for me every morning! When I go into my office, all the spin doctor lines are laid out for me! The words on this paper are those lines! Apparently they are doing a better job than are the Leader of the National Party’s spin doctors, and I thank them for that. All the figures for schools, hospitals and police are better - Mr B.J. Grylls interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I did not say that. Mr B.J. Grylls : That is what you just said. You said, “They’ve never had it so good.” Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. Did anyone hear me say those words? They were the Prime Minister’s words.
Mr R.F. Johnson interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is a free society. A total of 16 police stations have been opened in regional Western Australia by this government, compared with only 11 country police stations opened during the Liberal-National Party’s eight-year term; that is, 16 versus 11. The coalition closed Broomehill Police Station, did it not? Where is the outrage about Broomehill? Does that town not count any more? One hundred and fifty-five additional police have been stationed in regional Western Australia, not to mention, for example, that unemployment in regional WA has fallen to record lows, declining from 7.5 per cent in June 2001 to 3.88 per cent in the June 2006 quarter. There have been 22 major regional health capital works programs completed, or to be completed, in 2007, including new and replacement hospitals, health centres and dental clinics, with 10 additional projects due for completion in the next few years. Mr B.J. Grylls : Why does the community not thank you for it? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What about the schools? Does the Leader of the National Party have a question about schools? I will leave that to the education minister; otherwise, I will tell members about them also. I will leave that for another day. Members opposite should not believe what the spin doctors on their side are saying. They are not as good as ours. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The West Australian did not complete its examination, nor did the member for Vasse, of my spin doctors. There are two spin doctors in my office who disguise themselves as cleaners! They were the only two employees in my office who were not caught in the spin doctor net. Everyone else in my office, including Val and Denise on the front desk, are, of course, spin doctors! My office employs more spin doctors than there are cricket teams in India! We have many spin doctors! My two cleaners are spin doctors who organise all my lines for me every morning! When I go into my office, all the spin doctor lines are laid out for me! The words on this paper are those lines! Apparently they are doing a better job than are the Leader of the National Party’s spin doctors, and I thank them for that. All the figures for schools, hospitals and police are better - Mr B.J. Grylls interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I did not say that. Mr B.J. Grylls : That is what you just said. You said, “They’ve never had it so good.” Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. Did anyone hear me say those words? They were the Prime Minister’s words.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is a free society. A total of 16 police stations have been opened in regional Western Australia by this government, compared with only 11 country police stations opened during the Liberal-National Party’s eight-year term; that is, 16 versus 11. The coalition closed Broomehill Police Station, did it not? Where is the outrage about Broomehill? Does that town not count any more? One hundred and fifty-five additional police have been stationed in regional Western Australia, not to mention, for example, that unemployment in regional WA has fallen to record lows, declining from 7.5 per cent in June 2001 to 3.88 per cent in the June 2006 quarter. There have been 22 major regional health capital works programs completed, or to be completed, in 2007, including new and replacement hospitals, health centres and dental clinics, with 10 additional projects due for completion in the next few years. Mr B.J. Grylls : Why does the community not thank you for it? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What about the schools? Does the Leader of the National Party have a question about schools? I will leave that to the education minister; otherwise, I will tell members about them also. I will leave that for another day. Members opposite should not believe what the spin doctors on their side are saying. They are not as good as ours. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The West Australian did not complete its examination, nor did the member for Vasse, of my spin doctors. There are two spin doctors in my office who disguise themselves as cleaners! They were the only two employees in my office who were not caught in the spin doctor net. Everyone else in my office, including Val and Denise on the front desk, are, of course, spin doctors! My office employs more spin doctors than there are cricket teams in India! We have many spin doctors! My two cleaners are spin doctors who organise all my lines for me every morning! When I go into my office, all the spin doctor lines are laid out for me! The words on this paper are those lines! Apparently they are doing a better job than are the Leader of the National Party’s spin doctors, and I thank them for that. All the figures for schools, hospitals and police are better - Mr B.J. Grylls interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I did not say that. Mr B.J. Grylls : That is what you just said. You said, “They’ve never had it so good.” Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. Did anyone hear me say those words? They were the Prime Minister’s words.
A total of 16 police stations have been opened in regional Western Australia by this government, compared with only 11 country police stations opened during the Liberal-National Party’s eight-year term; that is, 16 versus 11. The coalition closed Broomehill Police Station, did it not? Where is the outrage about Broomehill? Does that town not count any more? One hundred and fifty-five additional police have been stationed in regional Western Australia, not to mention, for example, that unemployment in regional WA has fallen to record lows, declining from 7.5 per cent in June 2001 to 3.88 per cent in the June 2006 quarter. There have been 22 major regional health capital works programs completed, or to be completed, in 2007, including new and replacement hospitals, health centres and dental clinics, with 10 additional projects due for completion in the next few years. Mr B.J. Grylls : Why does the community not thank you for it? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What about the schools? Does the Leader of the National Party have a question about schools? I will leave that to the education minister; otherwise, I will tell members about them also. I will leave that for another day. Members opposite should not believe what the spin doctors on their side are saying. They are not as good as ours. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The West Australian did not complete its examination, nor did the member for Vasse, of my spin doctors. There are two spin doctors in my office who disguise themselves as cleaners! They were the only two employees in my office who were not caught in the spin doctor net. Everyone else in my office, including Val and Denise on the front desk, are, of course, spin doctors! My office employs more spin doctors than there are cricket teams in India! We have many spin doctors! My two cleaners are spin doctors who organise all my lines for me every morning! When I go into my office, all the spin doctor lines are laid out for me! The words on this paper are those lines! Apparently they are doing a better job than are the Leader of the National Party’s spin doctors, and I thank them for that. All the figures for schools, hospitals and police are better - Mr B.J. Grylls interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I did not say that. Mr B.J. Grylls : That is what you just said. You said, “They’ve never had it so good.” Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. Did anyone hear me say those words? They were the Prime Minister’s words.
Mr B.J. Grylls : Why does the community not thank you for it? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What about the schools? Does the Leader of the National Party have a question about schools? I will leave that to the education minister; otherwise, I will tell members about them also. I will leave that for another day. Members opposite should not believe what the spin doctors on their side are saying. They are not as good as ours. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The West Australian did not complete its examination, nor did the member for Vasse, of my spin doctors. There are two spin doctors in my office who disguise themselves as cleaners! They were the only two employees in my office who were not caught in the spin doctor net. Everyone else in my office, including Val and Denise on the front desk, are, of course, spin doctors! My office employs more spin doctors than there are cricket teams in India! We have many spin doctors! My two cleaners are spin doctors who organise all my lines for me every morning! When I go into my office, all the spin doctor lines are laid out for me! The words on this paper are those lines! Apparently they are doing a better job than are the Leader of the National Party’s spin doctors, and I thank them for that. All the figures for schools, hospitals and police are better - Mr B.J. Grylls interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I did not say that. Mr B.J. Grylls : That is what you just said. You said, “They’ve never had it so good.” Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. Did anyone hear me say those words? They were the Prime Minister’s words.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What about the schools? Does the Leader of the National Party have a question about schools? I will leave that to the education minister; otherwise, I will tell members about them also. I will leave that for another day. Members opposite should not believe what the spin doctors on their side are saying. They are not as good as ours. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The West Australian did not complete its examination, nor did the member for Vasse, of my spin doctors. There are two spin doctors in my office who disguise themselves as cleaners! They were the only two employees in my office who were not caught in the spin doctor net. Everyone else in my office, including Val and Denise on the front desk, are, of course, spin doctors! My office employs more spin doctors than there are cricket teams in India! We have many spin doctors! My two cleaners are spin doctors who organise all my lines for me every morning! When I go into my office, all the spin doctor lines are laid out for me! The words on this paper are those lines! Apparently they are doing a better job than are the Leader of the National Party’s spin doctors, and I thank them for that. All the figures for schools, hospitals and police are better - Mr B.J. Grylls interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I did not say that. Mr B.J. Grylls : That is what you just said. You said, “They’ve never had it so good.” Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. Did anyone hear me say those words? They were the Prime Minister’s words.
Members opposite should not believe what the spin doctors on their side are saying. They are not as good as ours. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The West Australian did not complete its examination, nor did the member for Vasse, of my spin doctors. There are two spin doctors in my office who disguise themselves as cleaners! They were the only two employees in my office who were not caught in the spin doctor net. Everyone else in my office, including Val and Denise on the front desk, are, of course, spin doctors! My office employs more spin doctors than there are cricket teams in India! We have many spin doctors! My two cleaners are spin doctors who organise all my lines for me every morning! When I go into my office, all the spin doctor lines are laid out for me! The words on this paper are those lines! Apparently they are doing a better job than are the Leader of the National Party’s spin doctors, and I thank them for that. All the figures for schools, hospitals and police are better - Mr B.J. Grylls interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I did not say that. Mr B.J. Grylls : That is what you just said. You said, “They’ve never had it so good.” Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. Did anyone hear me say those words? They were the Prime Minister’s words.
Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The West Australian did not complete its examination, nor did the member for Vasse, of my spin doctors. There are two spin doctors in my office who disguise themselves as cleaners! They were the only two employees in my office who were not caught in the spin doctor net. Everyone else in my office, including Val and Denise on the front desk, are, of course, spin doctors! My office employs more spin doctors than there are cricket teams in India! We have many spin doctors! My two cleaners are spin doctors who organise all my lines for me every morning! When I go into my office, all the spin doctor lines are laid out for me! The words on this paper are those lines! Apparently they are doing a better job than are the Leader of the National Party’s spin doctors, and I thank them for that. All the figures for schools, hospitals and police are better - Mr B.J. Grylls interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I did not say that. Mr B.J. Grylls : That is what you just said. You said, “They’ve never had it so good.” Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. Did anyone hear me say those words? They were the Prime Minister’s words.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The West Australian did not complete its examination, nor did the member for Vasse, of my spin doctors. There are two spin doctors in my office who disguise themselves as cleaners! They were the only two employees in my office who were not caught in the spin doctor net. Everyone else in my office, including Val and Denise on the front desk, are, of course, spin doctors! My office employs more spin doctors than there are cricket teams in India! We have many spin doctors! My two cleaners are spin doctors who organise all my lines for me every morning! When I go into my office, all the spin doctor lines are laid out for me! The words on this paper are those lines! Apparently they are doing a better job than are the Leader of the National Party’s spin doctors, and I thank them for that. All the figures for schools, hospitals and police are better - Mr B.J. Grylls interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I did not say that. Mr B.J. Grylls : That is what you just said. You said, “They’ve never had it so good.” Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. Did anyone hear me say those words? They were the Prime Minister’s words.
Mr B.J. Grylls interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I did not say that. Mr B.J. Grylls : That is what you just said. You said, “They’ve never had it so good.” Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. Did anyone hear me say those words? They were the Prime Minister’s words.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I did not say that. Mr B.J. Grylls : That is what you just said. You said, “They’ve never had it so good.” Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. Did anyone hear me say those words? They were the Prime Minister’s words.
Mr B.J. Grylls : That is what you just said. You said, “They’ve never had it so good.” Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. Did anyone hear me say those words? They were the Prime Minister’s words.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. Did anyone hear me say those words? They were the Prime Minister’s words.
(2) How will the Premier guarantee, as he did on ABC radio this morning during an interview with Geoff Hutchison, that the police will provide a better service, not a worse service, in these country communities? Mr A.J. CARPENTER replied: (1)-(2) I am glad that I put only my left leg on the line; perhaps it should have been the other one! Well done; that is good. Hilton Police Station should never have been closed in the first place. I think it was closed by Commissioner Falconer. Good lobbying by the local community managed to convince Mr Falconer’s successor, Commissioner Mathews, to reopen it. I was only too happy to be present when it was reopened. That is a much better program. An opposition member interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The police made that judgement, just as Commissioner Karl O’Callaghan has made a judgement in this case. When I was advised that the police stations would be closed, I of course anticipated that there would be a fair bit of pushback. At one stage, one of my cousins was the resident police officer at Cranbrook Police Station, so I know a little bit about the Cranbrook area. I anticipated that there would be a degree of anxiety about the closure of the Cranbrook Police Station. During his public commentary, Commissioner O’Callaghan has given an assurance that better resourced police stations at Tambellup and Mt Barker - Mr T.K. Waldron : He also gave an assurance that they weren’t going to close for 12 months. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I do not believe that he did that. Commissioner O’Callaghan gave an assurance that better resourced police stations at Tambellup and Mt Barker would provide a better police service for the entire area. How good is the member for Wagin’s memory? Why were Liberal and National Party members not outraged when, under a coalition government, the Broomehill Police Station was closed? Mr C.J. Barnett : We closed it? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes, the Broomehill Police Station was closed when the coalition was in government. Why was there no outrage when that happened? Why do not members opposite demand that Broomehill Police Station be reopened? Come on! An opposition member interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The opposition will; that is good. Shall I provide members opposite with a comprehensive list of the rural police stations that were closed when the coalition was in government? Should I nail a sign to the member for Stirling’s electorate door that reads “The coalition government closed Broomehill Police Station”? The member has asserted that we closed Hilton Police Station. How many police are now stationed in regional Western Australia compared with those who were stationed in regional areas when the National and Liberal parties were in government? Do members think that there are now more or fewer police officers in regional Western Australia? The information that I have been provided with indicates that the number of police officers assigned to country areas has increased by 155 since - An opposition member: What about ratio to population? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The ratio to population debate! The member for Stirling knows a fair bit about the areas in the southern wheatbelt area. What does he reckon the population growth in Cranbrook, Tambellup and Broomehill has been in the past six years? Mr B.J. Grylls : One to two per cent. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Does the Leader of the National Party think that an extra 155 police officers in regional Western Australia might be a bit above the ratio demanded by population growth? I have a feeling it is. The next time the member is talking to the people of Cranbrook, he should drive to Broomehill and say, “Oh, by the way, we should never have closed Broomehill Police Station. I promise you we’ll reopen it.” The Leader of the National Party will not do that. How many regional police stations have been opened since we came to government compared with the number that were opened during the time that the Liberal and National Parties were in government? Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The Leader of the Opposition was a minister in the coalition government. A former coalition police minister is in the chamber. He is avoiding eye contact and keeping very quiet. Mr J.H.D. Day : I was doing something more productive! Look at me! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The member for Darling Range is a good man! I hate to admit this - Several members interjected. THE SPEAKER (Mr F. Riebeling) : I think we should avoid eye contact! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Ever since the member for Darling Range’s university days, I have taken a perverse delight in looking at him! He used to be a very attractive young man! Mr R.F. Johnson interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is a free society. A total of 16 police stations have been opened in regional Western Australia by this government, compared with only 11 country police stations opened during the Liberal-National Party’s eight-year term; that is, 16 versus 11. The coalition closed Broomehill Police Station, did it not? Where is the outrage about Broomehill? Does that town not count any more? One hundred and fifty-five additional police have been stationed in regional Western Australia, not to mention, for example, that unemployment in regional WA has fallen to record lows, declining from 7.5 per cent in June 2001 to 3.88 per cent in the June 2006 quarter. There have been 22 major regional health capital works programs completed, or to be completed, in 2007, including new and replacement hospitals, health centres and dental clinics, with 10 additional projects due for completion in the next few years. Mr B.J. Grylls : Why does the community not thank you for it? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What about the schools? Does the Leader of the National Party have a question about schools? I will leave that to the education minister; otherwise, I will tell members about them also. I will leave that for another day. Members opposite should not believe what the spin doctors on their side are saying. They are not as good as ours. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The West Australian did not complete its examination, nor did the member for Vasse, of my spin doctors. There are two spin doctors in my office who disguise themselves as cleaners! They were the only two employees in my office who were not caught in the spin doctor net. Everyone else in my office, including Val and Denise on the front desk, are, of course, spin doctors! My office employs more spin doctors than there are cricket teams in India! We have many spin doctors! My two cleaners are spin doctors who organise all my lines for me every morning! When I go into my office, all the spin doctor lines are laid out for me! The words on this paper are those lines! Apparently they are doing a better job than are the Leader of the National Party’s spin doctors, and I thank them for that. All the figures for schools, hospitals and police are better - Mr B.J. Grylls interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I did not say that. Mr B.J. Grylls : That is what you just said. You said, “They’ve never had it so good.” Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. Did anyone hear me say those words? They were the Prime Minister’s words.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER replied: (1)-(2) I am glad that I put only my left leg on the line; perhaps it should have been the other one! Well done; that is good. Hilton Police Station should never have been closed in the first place. I think it was closed by Commissioner Falconer. Good lobbying by the local community managed to convince Mr Falconer’s successor, Commissioner Mathews, to reopen it. I was only too happy to be present when it was reopened. That is a much better program. An opposition member interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The police made that judgement, just as Commissioner Karl O’Callaghan has made a judgement in this case. When I was advised that the police stations would be closed, I of course anticipated that there would be a fair bit of pushback. At one stage, one of my cousins was the resident police officer at Cranbrook Police Station, so I know a little bit about the Cranbrook area. I anticipated that there would be a degree of anxiety about the closure of the Cranbrook Police Station. During his public commentary, Commissioner O’Callaghan has given an assurance that better resourced police stations at Tambellup and Mt Barker - Mr T.K. Waldron : He also gave an assurance that they weren’t going to close for 12 months. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I do not believe that he did that. Commissioner O’Callaghan gave an assurance that better resourced police stations at Tambellup and Mt Barker would provide a better police service for the entire area. How good is the member for Wagin’s memory? Why were Liberal and National Party members not outraged when, under a coalition government, the Broomehill Police Station was closed? Mr C.J. Barnett : We closed it? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes, the Broomehill Police Station was closed when the coalition was in government. Why was there no outrage when that happened? Why do not members opposite demand that Broomehill Police Station be reopened? Come on! An opposition member interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The opposition will; that is good. Shall I provide members opposite with a comprehensive list of the rural police stations that were closed when the coalition was in government? Should I nail a sign to the member for Stirling’s electorate door that reads “The coalition government closed Broomehill Police Station”? The member has asserted that we closed Hilton Police Station. How many police are now stationed in regional Western Australia compared with those who were stationed in regional areas when the National and Liberal parties were in government? Do members think that there are now more or fewer police officers in regional Western Australia? The information that I have been provided with indicates that the number of police officers assigned to country areas has increased by 155 since - An opposition member: What about ratio to population? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The ratio to population debate! The member for Stirling knows a fair bit about the areas in the southern wheatbelt area. What does he reckon the population growth in Cranbrook, Tambellup and Broomehill has been in the past six years? Mr B.J. Grylls : One to two per cent. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Does the Leader of the National Party think that an extra 155 police officers in regional Western Australia might be a bit above the ratio demanded by population growth? I have a feeling it is. The next time the member is talking to the people of Cranbrook, he should drive to Broomehill and say, “Oh, by the way, we should never have closed Broomehill Police Station. I promise you we’ll reopen it.” The Leader of the National Party will not do that. How many regional police stations have been opened since we came to government compared with the number that were opened during the time that the Liberal and National Parties were in government? Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The Leader of the Opposition was a minister in the coalition government. A former coalition police minister is in the chamber. He is avoiding eye contact and keeping very quiet. Mr J.H.D. Day : I was doing something more productive! Look at me! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The member for Darling Range is a good man! I hate to admit this - Several members interjected. THE SPEAKER (Mr F. Riebeling) : I think we should avoid eye contact! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Ever since the member for Darling Range’s university days, I have taken a perverse delight in looking at him! He used to be a very attractive young man! Mr R.F. Johnson interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is a free society. A total of 16 police stations have been opened in regional Western Australia by this government, compared with only 11 country police stations opened during the Liberal-National Party’s eight-year term; that is, 16 versus 11. The coalition closed Broomehill Police Station, did it not? Where is the outrage about Broomehill? Does that town not count any more? One hundred and fifty-five additional police have been stationed in regional Western Australia, not to mention, for example, that unemployment in regional WA has fallen to record lows, declining from 7.5 per cent in June 2001 to 3.88 per cent in the June 2006 quarter. There have been 22 major regional health capital works programs completed, or to be completed, in 2007, including new and replacement hospitals, health centres and dental clinics, with 10 additional projects due for completion in the next few years. Mr B.J. Grylls : Why does the community not thank you for it? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What about the schools? Does the Leader of the National Party have a question about schools? I will leave that to the education minister; otherwise, I will tell members about them also. I will leave that for another day. Members opposite should not believe what the spin doctors on their side are saying. They are not as good as ours. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The West Australian did not complete its examination, nor did the member for Vasse, of my spin doctors. There are two spin doctors in my office who disguise themselves as cleaners! They were the only two employees in my office who were not caught in the spin doctor net. Everyone else in my office, including Val and Denise on the front desk, are, of course, spin doctors! My office employs more spin doctors than there are cricket teams in India! We have many spin doctors! My two cleaners are spin doctors who organise all my lines for me every morning! When I go into my office, all the spin doctor lines are laid out for me! The words on this paper are those lines! Apparently they are doing a better job than are the Leader of the National Party’s spin doctors, and I thank them for that. All the figures for schools, hospitals and police are better - Mr B.J. Grylls interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I did not say that. Mr B.J. Grylls : That is what you just said. You said, “They’ve never had it so good.” Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. Did anyone hear me say those words? They were the Prime Minister’s words.
(1)-(2) I am glad that I put only my left leg on the line; perhaps it should have been the other one! Well done; that is good. Hilton Police Station should never have been closed in the first place. I think it was closed by Commissioner Falconer. Good lobbying by the local community managed to convince Mr Falconer’s successor, Commissioner Mathews, to reopen it. I was only too happy to be present when it was reopened. That is a much better program. An opposition member interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The police made that judgement, just as Commissioner Karl O’Callaghan has made a judgement in this case. When I was advised that the police stations would be closed, I of course anticipated that there would be a fair bit of pushback. At one stage, one of my cousins was the resident police officer at Cranbrook Police Station, so I know a little bit about the Cranbrook area. I anticipated that there would be a degree of anxiety about the closure of the Cranbrook Police Station. During his public commentary, Commissioner O’Callaghan has given an assurance that better resourced police stations at Tambellup and Mt Barker - Mr T.K. Waldron : He also gave an assurance that they weren’t going to close for 12 months. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I do not believe that he did that. Commissioner O’Callaghan gave an assurance that better resourced police stations at Tambellup and Mt Barker would provide a better police service for the entire area. How good is the member for Wagin’s memory? Why were Liberal and National Party members not outraged when, under a coalition government, the Broomehill Police Station was closed? Mr C.J. Barnett : We closed it? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes, the Broomehill Police Station was closed when the coalition was in government. Why was there no outrage when that happened? Why do not members opposite demand that Broomehill Police Station be reopened? Come on! An opposition member interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The opposition will; that is good. Shall I provide members opposite with a comprehensive list of the rural police stations that were closed when the coalition was in government? Should I nail a sign to the member for Stirling’s electorate door that reads “The coalition government closed Broomehill Police Station”? The member has asserted that we closed Hilton Police Station. How many police are now stationed in regional Western Australia compared with those who were stationed in regional areas when the National and Liberal parties were in government? Do members think that there are now more or fewer police officers in regional Western Australia? The information that I have been provided with indicates that the number of police officers assigned to country areas has increased by 155 since - An opposition member: What about ratio to population? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The ratio to population debate! The member for Stirling knows a fair bit about the areas in the southern wheatbelt area. What does he reckon the population growth in Cranbrook, Tambellup and Broomehill has been in the past six years? Mr B.J. Grylls : One to two per cent. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Does the Leader of the National Party think that an extra 155 police officers in regional Western Australia might be a bit above the ratio demanded by population growth? I have a feeling it is. The next time the member is talking to the people of Cranbrook, he should drive to Broomehill and say, “Oh, by the way, we should never have closed Broomehill Police Station. I promise you we’ll reopen it.” The Leader of the National Party will not do that. How many regional police stations have been opened since we came to government compared with the number that were opened during the time that the Liberal and National Parties were in government? Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The Leader of the Opposition was a minister in the coalition government. A former coalition police minister is in the chamber. He is avoiding eye contact and keeping very quiet. Mr J.H.D. Day : I was doing something more productive! Look at me! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The member for Darling Range is a good man! I hate to admit this - Several members interjected. THE SPEAKER (Mr F. Riebeling) : I think we should avoid eye contact! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Ever since the member for Darling Range’s university days, I have taken a perverse delight in looking at him! He used to be a very attractive young man! Mr R.F. Johnson interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is a free society. A total of 16 police stations have been opened in regional Western Australia by this government, compared with only 11 country police stations opened during the Liberal-National Party’s eight-year term; that is, 16 versus 11. The coalition closed Broomehill Police Station, did it not? Where is the outrage about Broomehill? Does that town not count any more? One hundred and fifty-five additional police have been stationed in regional Western Australia, not to mention, for example, that unemployment in regional WA has fallen to record lows, declining from 7.5 per cent in June 2001 to 3.88 per cent in the June 2006 quarter. There have been 22 major regional health capital works programs completed, or to be completed, in 2007, including new and replacement hospitals, health centres and dental clinics, with 10 additional projects due for completion in the next few years. Mr B.J. Grylls : Why does the community not thank you for it? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What about the schools? Does the Leader of the National Party have a question about schools? I will leave that to the education minister; otherwise, I will tell members about them also. I will leave that for another day. Members opposite should not believe what the spin doctors on their side are saying. They are not as good as ours. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The West Australian did not complete its examination, nor did the member for Vasse, of my spin doctors. There are two spin doctors in my office who disguise themselves as cleaners! They were the only two employees in my office who were not caught in the spin doctor net. Everyone else in my office, including Val and Denise on the front desk, are, of course, spin doctors! My office employs more spin doctors than there are cricket teams in India! We have many spin doctors! My two cleaners are spin doctors who organise all my lines for me every morning! When I go into my office, all the spin doctor lines are laid out for me! The words on this paper are those lines! Apparently they are doing a better job than are the Leader of the National Party’s spin doctors, and I thank them for that. All the figures for schools, hospitals and police are better - Mr B.J. Grylls interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I did not say that. Mr B.J. Grylls : That is what you just said. You said, “They’ve never had it so good.” Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. Did anyone hear me say those words? They were the Prime Minister’s words.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The police made that judgement, just as Commissioner Karl O’Callaghan has made a judgement in this case. When I was advised that the police stations would be closed, I of course anticipated that there would be a fair bit of pushback. At one stage, one of my cousins was the resident police officer at Cranbrook Police Station, so I know a little bit about the Cranbrook area. I anticipated that there would be a degree of anxiety about the closure of the Cranbrook Police Station. During his public commentary, Commissioner O’Callaghan has given an assurance that better resourced police stations at Tambellup and Mt Barker - Mr T.K. Waldron : He also gave an assurance that they weren’t going to close for 12 months. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I do not believe that he did that. Commissioner O’Callaghan gave an assurance that better resourced police stations at Tambellup and Mt Barker would provide a better police service for the entire area. How good is the member for Wagin’s memory? Why were Liberal and National Party members not outraged when, under a coalition government, the Broomehill Police Station was closed? Mr C.J. Barnett : We closed it? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes, the Broomehill Police Station was closed when the coalition was in government. Why was there no outrage when that happened? Why do not members opposite demand that Broomehill Police Station be reopened? Come on! An opposition member interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The opposition will; that is good. Shall I provide members opposite with a comprehensive list of the rural police stations that were closed when the coalition was in government? Should I nail a sign to the member for Stirling’s electorate door that reads “The coalition government closed Broomehill Police Station”? The member has asserted that we closed Hilton Police Station. How many police are now stationed in regional Western Australia compared with those who were stationed in regional areas when the National and Liberal parties were in government? Do members think that there are now more or fewer police officers in regional Western Australia? The information that I have been provided with indicates that the number of police officers assigned to country areas has increased by 155 since - An opposition member: What about ratio to population? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The ratio to population debate! The member for Stirling knows a fair bit about the areas in the southern wheatbelt area. What does he reckon the population growth in Cranbrook, Tambellup and Broomehill has been in the past six years? Mr B.J. Grylls : One to two per cent. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Does the Leader of the National Party think that an extra 155 police officers in regional Western Australia might be a bit above the ratio demanded by population growth? I have a feeling it is. The next time the member is talking to the people of Cranbrook, he should drive to Broomehill and say, “Oh, by the way, we should never have closed Broomehill Police Station. I promise you we’ll reopen it.” The Leader of the National Party will not do that. How many regional police stations have been opened since we came to government compared with the number that were opened during the time that the Liberal and National Parties were in government? Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The Leader of the Opposition was a minister in the coalition government. A former coalition police minister is in the chamber. He is avoiding eye contact and keeping very quiet. Mr J.H.D. Day : I was doing something more productive! Look at me! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The member for Darling Range is a good man! I hate to admit this - Several members interjected. THE SPEAKER (Mr F. Riebeling) : I think we should avoid eye contact! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Ever since the member for Darling Range’s university days, I have taken a perverse delight in looking at him! He used to be a very attractive young man! Mr R.F. Johnson interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is a free society. A total of 16 police stations have been opened in regional Western Australia by this government, compared with only 11 country police stations opened during the Liberal-National Party’s eight-year term; that is, 16 versus 11. The coalition closed Broomehill Police Station, did it not? Where is the outrage about Broomehill? Does that town not count any more? One hundred and fifty-five additional police have been stationed in regional Western Australia, not to mention, for example, that unemployment in regional WA has fallen to record lows, declining from 7.5 per cent in June 2001 to 3.88 per cent in the June 2006 quarter. There have been 22 major regional health capital works programs completed, or to be completed, in 2007, including new and replacement hospitals, health centres and dental clinics, with 10 additional projects due for completion in the next few years. Mr B.J. Grylls : Why does the community not thank you for it? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What about the schools? Does the Leader of the National Party have a question about schools? I will leave that to the education minister; otherwise, I will tell members about them also. I will leave that for another day. Members opposite should not believe what the spin doctors on their side are saying. They are not as good as ours. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The West Australian did not complete its examination, nor did the member for Vasse, of my spin doctors. There are two spin doctors in my office who disguise themselves as cleaners! They were the only two employees in my office who were not caught in the spin doctor net. Everyone else in my office, including Val and Denise on the front desk, are, of course, spin doctors! My office employs more spin doctors than there are cricket teams in India! We have many spin doctors! My two cleaners are spin doctors who organise all my lines for me every morning! When I go into my office, all the spin doctor lines are laid out for me! The words on this paper are those lines! Apparently they are doing a better job than are the Leader of the National Party’s spin doctors, and I thank them for that. All the figures for schools, hospitals and police are better - Mr B.J. Grylls interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I did not say that. Mr B.J. Grylls : That is what you just said. You said, “They’ve never had it so good.” Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. Did anyone hear me say those words? They were the Prime Minister’s words.
Mr T.K. Waldron : He also gave an assurance that they weren’t going to close for 12 months. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I do not believe that he did that. Commissioner O’Callaghan gave an assurance that better resourced police stations at Tambellup and Mt Barker would provide a better police service for the entire area. How good is the member for Wagin’s memory? Why were Liberal and National Party members not outraged when, under a coalition government, the Broomehill Police Station was closed? Mr C.J. Barnett : We closed it? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes, the Broomehill Police Station was closed when the coalition was in government. Why was there no outrage when that happened? Why do not members opposite demand that Broomehill Police Station be reopened? Come on! An opposition member interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The opposition will; that is good. Shall I provide members opposite with a comprehensive list of the rural police stations that were closed when the coalition was in government? Should I nail a sign to the member for Stirling’s electorate door that reads “The coalition government closed Broomehill Police Station”? The member has asserted that we closed Hilton Police Station. How many police are now stationed in regional Western Australia compared with those who were stationed in regional areas when the National and Liberal parties were in government? Do members think that there are now more or fewer police officers in regional Western Australia? The information that I have been provided with indicates that the number of police officers assigned to country areas has increased by 155 since - An opposition member: What about ratio to population? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The ratio to population debate! The member for Stirling knows a fair bit about the areas in the southern wheatbelt area. What does he reckon the population growth in Cranbrook, Tambellup and Broomehill has been in the past six years? Mr B.J. Grylls : One to two per cent. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Does the Leader of the National Party think that an extra 155 police officers in regional Western Australia might be a bit above the ratio demanded by population growth? I have a feeling it is. The next time the member is talking to the people of Cranbrook, he should drive to Broomehill and say, “Oh, by the way, we should never have closed Broomehill Police Station. I promise you we’ll reopen it.” The Leader of the National Party will not do that. How many regional police stations have been opened since we came to government compared with the number that were opened during the time that the Liberal and National Parties were in government? Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The Leader of the Opposition was a minister in the coalition government. A former coalition police minister is in the chamber. He is avoiding eye contact and keeping very quiet. Mr J.H.D. Day : I was doing something more productive! Look at me! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The member for Darling Range is a good man! I hate to admit this - Several members interjected. THE SPEAKER (Mr F. Riebeling) : I think we should avoid eye contact! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Ever since the member for Darling Range’s university days, I have taken a perverse delight in looking at him! He used to be a very attractive young man! Mr R.F. Johnson interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is a free society. A total of 16 police stations have been opened in regional Western Australia by this government, compared with only 11 country police stations opened during the Liberal-National Party’s eight-year term; that is, 16 versus 11. The coalition closed Broomehill Police Station, did it not? Where is the outrage about Broomehill? Does that town not count any more? One hundred and fifty-five additional police have been stationed in regional Western Australia, not to mention, for example, that unemployment in regional WA has fallen to record lows, declining from 7.5 per cent in June 2001 to 3.88 per cent in the June 2006 quarter. There have been 22 major regional health capital works programs completed, or to be completed, in 2007, including new and replacement hospitals, health centres and dental clinics, with 10 additional projects due for completion in the next few years. Mr B.J. Grylls : Why does the community not thank you for it? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What about the schools? Does the Leader of the National Party have a question about schools? I will leave that to the education minister; otherwise, I will tell members about them also. I will leave that for another day. Members opposite should not believe what the spin doctors on their side are saying. They are not as good as ours. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The West Australian did not complete its examination, nor did the member for Vasse, of my spin doctors. There are two spin doctors in my office who disguise themselves as cleaners! They were the only two employees in my office who were not caught in the spin doctor net. Everyone else in my office, including Val and Denise on the front desk, are, of course, spin doctors! My office employs more spin doctors than there are cricket teams in India! We have many spin doctors! My two cleaners are spin doctors who organise all my lines for me every morning! When I go into my office, all the spin doctor lines are laid out for me! The words on this paper are those lines! Apparently they are doing a better job than are the Leader of the National Party’s spin doctors, and I thank them for that. All the figures for schools, hospitals and police are better - Mr B.J. Grylls interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I did not say that. Mr B.J. Grylls : That is what you just said. You said, “They’ve never had it so good.” Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. Did anyone hear me say those words? They were the Prime Minister’s words.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I do not believe that he did that. Commissioner O’Callaghan gave an assurance that better resourced police stations at Tambellup and Mt Barker would provide a better police service for the entire area. How good is the member for Wagin’s memory? Why were Liberal and National Party members not outraged when, under a coalition government, the Broomehill Police Station was closed? Mr C.J. Barnett : We closed it? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes, the Broomehill Police Station was closed when the coalition was in government. Why was there no outrage when that happened? Why do not members opposite demand that Broomehill Police Station be reopened? Come on! An opposition member interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The opposition will; that is good. Shall I provide members opposite with a comprehensive list of the rural police stations that were closed when the coalition was in government? Should I nail a sign to the member for Stirling’s electorate door that reads “The coalition government closed Broomehill Police Station”? The member has asserted that we closed Hilton Police Station. How many police are now stationed in regional Western Australia compared with those who were stationed in regional areas when the National and Liberal parties were in government? Do members think that there are now more or fewer police officers in regional Western Australia? The information that I have been provided with indicates that the number of police officers assigned to country areas has increased by 155 since - An opposition member: What about ratio to population? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The ratio to population debate! The member for Stirling knows a fair bit about the areas in the southern wheatbelt area. What does he reckon the population growth in Cranbrook, Tambellup and Broomehill has been in the past six years? Mr B.J. Grylls : One to two per cent. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Does the Leader of the National Party think that an extra 155 police officers in regional Western Australia might be a bit above the ratio demanded by population growth? I have a feeling it is. The next time the member is talking to the people of Cranbrook, he should drive to Broomehill and say, “Oh, by the way, we should never have closed Broomehill Police Station. I promise you we’ll reopen it.” The Leader of the National Party will not do that. How many regional police stations have been opened since we came to government compared with the number that were opened during the time that the Liberal and National Parties were in government? Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The Leader of the Opposition was a minister in the coalition government. A former coalition police minister is in the chamber. He is avoiding eye contact and keeping very quiet. Mr J.H.D. Day : I was doing something more productive! Look at me! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The member for Darling Range is a good man! I hate to admit this - Several members interjected. THE SPEAKER (Mr F. Riebeling) : I think we should avoid eye contact! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Ever since the member for Darling Range’s university days, I have taken a perverse delight in looking at him! He used to be a very attractive young man! Mr R.F. Johnson interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is a free society. A total of 16 police stations have been opened in regional Western Australia by this government, compared with only 11 country police stations opened during the Liberal-National Party’s eight-year term; that is, 16 versus 11. The coalition closed Broomehill Police Station, did it not? Where is the outrage about Broomehill? Does that town not count any more? One hundred and fifty-five additional police have been stationed in regional Western Australia, not to mention, for example, that unemployment in regional WA has fallen to record lows, declining from 7.5 per cent in June 2001 to 3.88 per cent in the June 2006 quarter. There have been 22 major regional health capital works programs completed, or to be completed, in 2007, including new and replacement hospitals, health centres and dental clinics, with 10 additional projects due for completion in the next few years. Mr B.J. Grylls : Why does the community not thank you for it? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What about the schools? Does the Leader of the National Party have a question about schools? I will leave that to the education minister; otherwise, I will tell members about them also. I will leave that for another day. Members opposite should not believe what the spin doctors on their side are saying. They are not as good as ours. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The West Australian did not complete its examination, nor did the member for Vasse, of my spin doctors. There are two spin doctors in my office who disguise themselves as cleaners! They were the only two employees in my office who were not caught in the spin doctor net. Everyone else in my office, including Val and Denise on the front desk, are, of course, spin doctors! My office employs more spin doctors than there are cricket teams in India! We have many spin doctors! My two cleaners are spin doctors who organise all my lines for me every morning! When I go into my office, all the spin doctor lines are laid out for me! The words on this paper are those lines! Apparently they are doing a better job than are the Leader of the National Party’s spin doctors, and I thank them for that. All the figures for schools, hospitals and police are better - Mr B.J. Grylls interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I did not say that. Mr B.J. Grylls : That is what you just said. You said, “They’ve never had it so good.” Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. Did anyone hear me say those words? They were the Prime Minister’s words.
Mr C.J. Barnett : We closed it? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes, the Broomehill Police Station was closed when the coalition was in government. Why was there no outrage when that happened? Why do not members opposite demand that Broomehill Police Station be reopened? Come on! An opposition member interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The opposition will; that is good. Shall I provide members opposite with a comprehensive list of the rural police stations that were closed when the coalition was in government? Should I nail a sign to the member for Stirling’s electorate door that reads “The coalition government closed Broomehill Police Station”? The member has asserted that we closed Hilton Police Station. How many police are now stationed in regional Western Australia compared with those who were stationed in regional areas when the National and Liberal parties were in government? Do members think that there are now more or fewer police officers in regional Western Australia? The information that I have been provided with indicates that the number of police officers assigned to country areas has increased by 155 since - An opposition member: What about ratio to population? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The ratio to population debate! The member for Stirling knows a fair bit about the areas in the southern wheatbelt area. What does he reckon the population growth in Cranbrook, Tambellup and Broomehill has been in the past six years? Mr B.J. Grylls : One to two per cent. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Does the Leader of the National Party think that an extra 155 police officers in regional Western Australia might be a bit above the ratio demanded by population growth? I have a feeling it is. The next time the member is talking to the people of Cranbrook, he should drive to Broomehill and say, “Oh, by the way, we should never have closed Broomehill Police Station. I promise you we’ll reopen it.” The Leader of the National Party will not do that. How many regional police stations have been opened since we came to government compared with the number that were opened during the time that the Liberal and National Parties were in government? Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The Leader of the Opposition was a minister in the coalition government. A former coalition police minister is in the chamber. He is avoiding eye contact and keeping very quiet. Mr J.H.D. Day : I was doing something more productive! Look at me! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The member for Darling Range is a good man! I hate to admit this - Several members interjected. THE SPEAKER (Mr F. Riebeling) : I think we should avoid eye contact! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Ever since the member for Darling Range’s university days, I have taken a perverse delight in looking at him! He used to be a very attractive young man! Mr R.F. Johnson interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is a free society. A total of 16 police stations have been opened in regional Western Australia by this government, compared with only 11 country police stations opened during the Liberal-National Party’s eight-year term; that is, 16 versus 11. The coalition closed Broomehill Police Station, did it not? Where is the outrage about Broomehill? Does that town not count any more? One hundred and fifty-five additional police have been stationed in regional Western Australia, not to mention, for example, that unemployment in regional WA has fallen to record lows, declining from 7.5 per cent in June 2001 to 3.88 per cent in the June 2006 quarter. There have been 22 major regional health capital works programs completed, or to be completed, in 2007, including new and replacement hospitals, health centres and dental clinics, with 10 additional projects due for completion in the next few years. Mr B.J. Grylls : Why does the community not thank you for it? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What about the schools? Does the Leader of the National Party have a question about schools? I will leave that to the education minister; otherwise, I will tell members about them also. I will leave that for another day. Members opposite should not believe what the spin doctors on their side are saying. They are not as good as ours. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The West Australian did not complete its examination, nor did the member for Vasse, of my spin doctors. There are two spin doctors in my office who disguise themselves as cleaners! They were the only two employees in my office who were not caught in the spin doctor net. Everyone else in my office, including Val and Denise on the front desk, are, of course, spin doctors! My office employs more spin doctors than there are cricket teams in India! We have many spin doctors! My two cleaners are spin doctors who organise all my lines for me every morning! When I go into my office, all the spin doctor lines are laid out for me! The words on this paper are those lines! Apparently they are doing a better job than are the Leader of the National Party’s spin doctors, and I thank them for that. All the figures for schools, hospitals and police are better - Mr B.J. Grylls interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I did not say that. Mr B.J. Grylls : That is what you just said. You said, “They’ve never had it so good.” Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. Did anyone hear me say those words? They were the Prime Minister’s words.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes, the Broomehill Police Station was closed when the coalition was in government. Why was there no outrage when that happened? Why do not members opposite demand that Broomehill Police Station be reopened? Come on! An opposition member interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The opposition will; that is good. Shall I provide members opposite with a comprehensive list of the rural police stations that were closed when the coalition was in government? Should I nail a sign to the member for Stirling’s electorate door that reads “The coalition government closed Broomehill Police Station”? The member has asserted that we closed Hilton Police Station. How many police are now stationed in regional Western Australia compared with those who were stationed in regional areas when the National and Liberal parties were in government? Do members think that there are now more or fewer police officers in regional Western Australia? The information that I have been provided with indicates that the number of police officers assigned to country areas has increased by 155 since - An opposition member: What about ratio to population? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The ratio to population debate! The member for Stirling knows a fair bit about the areas in the southern wheatbelt area. What does he reckon the population growth in Cranbrook, Tambellup and Broomehill has been in the past six years? Mr B.J. Grylls : One to two per cent. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Does the Leader of the National Party think that an extra 155 police officers in regional Western Australia might be a bit above the ratio demanded by population growth? I have a feeling it is. The next time the member is talking to the people of Cranbrook, he should drive to Broomehill and say, “Oh, by the way, we should never have closed Broomehill Police Station. I promise you we’ll reopen it.” The Leader of the National Party will not do that. How many regional police stations have been opened since we came to government compared with the number that were opened during the time that the Liberal and National Parties were in government? Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The Leader of the Opposition was a minister in the coalition government. A former coalition police minister is in the chamber. He is avoiding eye contact and keeping very quiet. Mr J.H.D. Day : I was doing something more productive! Look at me! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The member for Darling Range is a good man! I hate to admit this - Several members interjected. THE SPEAKER (Mr F. Riebeling) : I think we should avoid eye contact! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Ever since the member for Darling Range’s university days, I have taken a perverse delight in looking at him! He used to be a very attractive young man! Mr R.F. Johnson interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is a free society. A total of 16 police stations have been opened in regional Western Australia by this government, compared with only 11 country police stations opened during the Liberal-National Party’s eight-year term; that is, 16 versus 11. The coalition closed Broomehill Police Station, did it not? Where is the outrage about Broomehill? Does that town not count any more? One hundred and fifty-five additional police have been stationed in regional Western Australia, not to mention, for example, that unemployment in regional WA has fallen to record lows, declining from 7.5 per cent in June 2001 to 3.88 per cent in the June 2006 quarter. There have been 22 major regional health capital works programs completed, or to be completed, in 2007, including new and replacement hospitals, health centres and dental clinics, with 10 additional projects due for completion in the next few years. Mr B.J. Grylls : Why does the community not thank you for it? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What about the schools? Does the Leader of the National Party have a question about schools? I will leave that to the education minister; otherwise, I will tell members about them also. I will leave that for another day. Members opposite should not believe what the spin doctors on their side are saying. They are not as good as ours. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The West Australian did not complete its examination, nor did the member for Vasse, of my spin doctors. There are two spin doctors in my office who disguise themselves as cleaners! They were the only two employees in my office who were not caught in the spin doctor net. Everyone else in my office, including Val and Denise on the front desk, are, of course, spin doctors! My office employs more spin doctors than there are cricket teams in India! We have many spin doctors! My two cleaners are spin doctors who organise all my lines for me every morning! When I go into my office, all the spin doctor lines are laid out for me! The words on this paper are those lines! Apparently they are doing a better job than are the Leader of the National Party’s spin doctors, and I thank them for that. All the figures for schools, hospitals and police are better - Mr B.J. Grylls interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I did not say that. Mr B.J. Grylls : That is what you just said. You said, “They’ve never had it so good.” Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. Did anyone hear me say those words? They were the Prime Minister’s words.
An opposition member interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The opposition will; that is good. Shall I provide members opposite with a comprehensive list of the rural police stations that were closed when the coalition was in government? Should I nail a sign to the member for Stirling’s electorate door that reads “The coalition government closed Broomehill Police Station”? The member has asserted that we closed Hilton Police Station. How many police are now stationed in regional Western Australia compared with those who were stationed in regional areas when the National and Liberal parties were in government? Do members think that there are now more or fewer police officers in regional Western Australia? The information that I have been provided with indicates that the number of police officers assigned to country areas has increased by 155 since - An opposition member: What about ratio to population? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The ratio to population debate! The member for Stirling knows a fair bit about the areas in the southern wheatbelt area. What does he reckon the population growth in Cranbrook, Tambellup and Broomehill has been in the past six years? Mr B.J. Grylls : One to two per cent. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Does the Leader of the National Party think that an extra 155 police officers in regional Western Australia might be a bit above the ratio demanded by population growth? I have a feeling it is. The next time the member is talking to the people of Cranbrook, he should drive to Broomehill and say, “Oh, by the way, we should never have closed Broomehill Police Station. I promise you we’ll reopen it.” The Leader of the National Party will not do that. How many regional police stations have been opened since we came to government compared with the number that were opened during the time that the Liberal and National Parties were in government? Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The Leader of the Opposition was a minister in the coalition government. A former coalition police minister is in the chamber. He is avoiding eye contact and keeping very quiet. Mr J.H.D. Day : I was doing something more productive! Look at me! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The member for Darling Range is a good man! I hate to admit this - Several members interjected. THE SPEAKER (Mr F. Riebeling) : I think we should avoid eye contact! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Ever since the member for Darling Range’s university days, I have taken a perverse delight in looking at him! He used to be a very attractive young man! Mr R.F. Johnson interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is a free society. A total of 16 police stations have been opened in regional Western Australia by this government, compared with only 11 country police stations opened during the Liberal-National Party’s eight-year term; that is, 16 versus 11. The coalition closed Broomehill Police Station, did it not? Where is the outrage about Broomehill? Does that town not count any more? One hundred and fifty-five additional police have been stationed in regional Western Australia, not to mention, for example, that unemployment in regional WA has fallen to record lows, declining from 7.5 per cent in June 2001 to 3.88 per cent in the June 2006 quarter. There have been 22 major regional health capital works programs completed, or to be completed, in 2007, including new and replacement hospitals, health centres and dental clinics, with 10 additional projects due for completion in the next few years. Mr B.J. Grylls : Why does the community not thank you for it? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What about the schools? Does the Leader of the National Party have a question about schools? I will leave that to the education minister; otherwise, I will tell members about them also. I will leave that for another day. Members opposite should not believe what the spin doctors on their side are saying. They are not as good as ours. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The West Australian did not complete its examination, nor did the member for Vasse, of my spin doctors. There are two spin doctors in my office who disguise themselves as cleaners! They were the only two employees in my office who were not caught in the spin doctor net. Everyone else in my office, including Val and Denise on the front desk, are, of course, spin doctors! My office employs more spin doctors than there are cricket teams in India! We have many spin doctors! My two cleaners are spin doctors who organise all my lines for me every morning! When I go into my office, all the spin doctor lines are laid out for me! The words on this paper are those lines! Apparently they are doing a better job than are the Leader of the National Party’s spin doctors, and I thank them for that. All the figures for schools, hospitals and police are better - Mr B.J. Grylls interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I did not say that. Mr B.J. Grylls : That is what you just said. You said, “They’ve never had it so good.” Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. Did anyone hear me say those words? They were the Prime Minister’s words.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The opposition will; that is good. Shall I provide members opposite with a comprehensive list of the rural police stations that were closed when the coalition was in government? Should I nail a sign to the member for Stirling’s electorate door that reads “The coalition government closed Broomehill Police Station”? The member has asserted that we closed Hilton Police Station. How many police are now stationed in regional Western Australia compared with those who were stationed in regional areas when the National and Liberal parties were in government? Do members think that there are now more or fewer police officers in regional Western Australia? The information that I have been provided with indicates that the number of police officers assigned to country areas has increased by 155 since - An opposition member: What about ratio to population? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The ratio to population debate! The member for Stirling knows a fair bit about the areas in the southern wheatbelt area. What does he reckon the population growth in Cranbrook, Tambellup and Broomehill has been in the past six years? Mr B.J. Grylls : One to two per cent. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Does the Leader of the National Party think that an extra 155 police officers in regional Western Australia might be a bit above the ratio demanded by population growth? I have a feeling it is. The next time the member is talking to the people of Cranbrook, he should drive to Broomehill and say, “Oh, by the way, we should never have closed Broomehill Police Station. I promise you we’ll reopen it.” The Leader of the National Party will not do that. How many regional police stations have been opened since we came to government compared with the number that were opened during the time that the Liberal and National Parties were in government? Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The Leader of the Opposition was a minister in the coalition government. A former coalition police minister is in the chamber. He is avoiding eye contact and keeping very quiet. Mr J.H.D. Day : I was doing something more productive! Look at me! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The member for Darling Range is a good man! I hate to admit this - Several members interjected. THE SPEAKER (Mr F. Riebeling) : I think we should avoid eye contact! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Ever since the member for Darling Range’s university days, I have taken a perverse delight in looking at him! He used to be a very attractive young man! Mr R.F. Johnson interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is a free society. A total of 16 police stations have been opened in regional Western Australia by this government, compared with only 11 country police stations opened during the Liberal-National Party’s eight-year term; that is, 16 versus 11. The coalition closed Broomehill Police Station, did it not? Where is the outrage about Broomehill? Does that town not count any more? One hundred and fifty-five additional police have been stationed in regional Western Australia, not to mention, for example, that unemployment in regional WA has fallen to record lows, declining from 7.5 per cent in June 2001 to 3.88 per cent in the June 2006 quarter. There have been 22 major regional health capital works programs completed, or to be completed, in 2007, including new and replacement hospitals, health centres and dental clinics, with 10 additional projects due for completion in the next few years. Mr B.J. Grylls : Why does the community not thank you for it? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What about the schools? Does the Leader of the National Party have a question about schools? I will leave that to the education minister; otherwise, I will tell members about them also. I will leave that for another day. Members opposite should not believe what the spin doctors on their side are saying. They are not as good as ours. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The West Australian did not complete its examination, nor did the member for Vasse, of my spin doctors. There are two spin doctors in my office who disguise themselves as cleaners! They were the only two employees in my office who were not caught in the spin doctor net. Everyone else in my office, including Val and Denise on the front desk, are, of course, spin doctors! My office employs more spin doctors than there are cricket teams in India! We have many spin doctors! My two cleaners are spin doctors who organise all my lines for me every morning! When I go into my office, all the spin doctor lines are laid out for me! The words on this paper are those lines! Apparently they are doing a better job than are the Leader of the National Party’s spin doctors, and I thank them for that. All the figures for schools, hospitals and police are better - Mr B.J. Grylls interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I did not say that. Mr B.J. Grylls : That is what you just said. You said, “They’ve never had it so good.” Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. Did anyone hear me say those words? They were the Prime Minister’s words.
An opposition member: What about ratio to population? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The ratio to population debate! The member for Stirling knows a fair bit about the areas in the southern wheatbelt area. What does he reckon the population growth in Cranbrook, Tambellup and Broomehill has been in the past six years? Mr B.J. Grylls : One to two per cent. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Does the Leader of the National Party think that an extra 155 police officers in regional Western Australia might be a bit above the ratio demanded by population growth? I have a feeling it is. The next time the member is talking to the people of Cranbrook, he should drive to Broomehill and say, “Oh, by the way, we should never have closed Broomehill Police Station. I promise you we’ll reopen it.” The Leader of the National Party will not do that. How many regional police stations have been opened since we came to government compared with the number that were opened during the time that the Liberal and National Parties were in government? Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The Leader of the Opposition was a minister in the coalition government. A former coalition police minister is in the chamber. He is avoiding eye contact and keeping very quiet. Mr J.H.D. Day : I was doing something more productive! Look at me! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The member for Darling Range is a good man! I hate to admit this - Several members interjected. THE SPEAKER (Mr F. Riebeling) : I think we should avoid eye contact! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Ever since the member for Darling Range’s university days, I have taken a perverse delight in looking at him! He used to be a very attractive young man! Mr R.F. Johnson interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is a free society. A total of 16 police stations have been opened in regional Western Australia by this government, compared with only 11 country police stations opened during the Liberal-National Party’s eight-year term; that is, 16 versus 11. The coalition closed Broomehill Police Station, did it not? Where is the outrage about Broomehill? Does that town not count any more? One hundred and fifty-five additional police have been stationed in regional Western Australia, not to mention, for example, that unemployment in regional WA has fallen to record lows, declining from 7.5 per cent in June 2001 to 3.88 per cent in the June 2006 quarter. There have been 22 major regional health capital works programs completed, or to be completed, in 2007, including new and replacement hospitals, health centres and dental clinics, with 10 additional projects due for completion in the next few years. Mr B.J. Grylls : Why does the community not thank you for it? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What about the schools? Does the Leader of the National Party have a question about schools? I will leave that to the education minister; otherwise, I will tell members about them also. I will leave that for another day. Members opposite should not believe what the spin doctors on their side are saying. They are not as good as ours. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The West Australian did not complete its examination, nor did the member for Vasse, of my spin doctors. There are two spin doctors in my office who disguise themselves as cleaners! They were the only two employees in my office who were not caught in the spin doctor net. Everyone else in my office, including Val and Denise on the front desk, are, of course, spin doctors! My office employs more spin doctors than there are cricket teams in India! We have many spin doctors! My two cleaners are spin doctors who organise all my lines for me every morning! When I go into my office, all the spin doctor lines are laid out for me! The words on this paper are those lines! Apparently they are doing a better job than are the Leader of the National Party’s spin doctors, and I thank them for that. All the figures for schools, hospitals and police are better - Mr B.J. Grylls interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I did not say that. Mr B.J. Grylls : That is what you just said. You said, “They’ve never had it so good.” Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. Did anyone hear me say those words? They were the Prime Minister’s words.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The ratio to population debate! The member for Stirling knows a fair bit about the areas in the southern wheatbelt area. What does he reckon the population growth in Cranbrook, Tambellup and Broomehill has been in the past six years? Mr B.J. Grylls : One to two per cent. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Does the Leader of the National Party think that an extra 155 police officers in regional Western Australia might be a bit above the ratio demanded by population growth? I have a feeling it is. The next time the member is talking to the people of Cranbrook, he should drive to Broomehill and say, “Oh, by the way, we should never have closed Broomehill Police Station. I promise you we’ll reopen it.” The Leader of the National Party will not do that. How many regional police stations have been opened since we came to government compared with the number that were opened during the time that the Liberal and National Parties were in government? Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The Leader of the Opposition was a minister in the coalition government. A former coalition police minister is in the chamber. He is avoiding eye contact and keeping very quiet. Mr J.H.D. Day : I was doing something more productive! Look at me! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The member for Darling Range is a good man! I hate to admit this - Several members interjected. THE SPEAKER (Mr F. Riebeling) : I think we should avoid eye contact! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Ever since the member for Darling Range’s university days, I have taken a perverse delight in looking at him! He used to be a very attractive young man! Mr R.F. Johnson interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is a free society. A total of 16 police stations have been opened in regional Western Australia by this government, compared with only 11 country police stations opened during the Liberal-National Party’s eight-year term; that is, 16 versus 11. The coalition closed Broomehill Police Station, did it not? Where is the outrage about Broomehill? Does that town not count any more? One hundred and fifty-five additional police have been stationed in regional Western Australia, not to mention, for example, that unemployment in regional WA has fallen to record lows, declining from 7.5 per cent in June 2001 to 3.88 per cent in the June 2006 quarter. There have been 22 major regional health capital works programs completed, or to be completed, in 2007, including new and replacement hospitals, health centres and dental clinics, with 10 additional projects due for completion in the next few years. Mr B.J. Grylls : Why does the community not thank you for it? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What about the schools? Does the Leader of the National Party have a question about schools? I will leave that to the education minister; otherwise, I will tell members about them also. I will leave that for another day. Members opposite should not believe what the spin doctors on their side are saying. They are not as good as ours. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The West Australian did not complete its examination, nor did the member for Vasse, of my spin doctors. There are two spin doctors in my office who disguise themselves as cleaners! They were the only two employees in my office who were not caught in the spin doctor net. Everyone else in my office, including Val and Denise on the front desk, are, of course, spin doctors! My office employs more spin doctors than there are cricket teams in India! We have many spin doctors! My two cleaners are spin doctors who organise all my lines for me every morning! When I go into my office, all the spin doctor lines are laid out for me! The words on this paper are those lines! Apparently they are doing a better job than are the Leader of the National Party’s spin doctors, and I thank them for that. All the figures for schools, hospitals and police are better - Mr B.J. Grylls interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I did not say that. Mr B.J. Grylls : That is what you just said. You said, “They’ve never had it so good.” Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. Did anyone hear me say those words? They were the Prime Minister’s words.
Mr B.J. Grylls : One to two per cent. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Does the Leader of the National Party think that an extra 155 police officers in regional Western Australia might be a bit above the ratio demanded by population growth? I have a feeling it is. The next time the member is talking to the people of Cranbrook, he should drive to Broomehill and say, “Oh, by the way, we should never have closed Broomehill Police Station. I promise you we’ll reopen it.” The Leader of the National Party will not do that. How many regional police stations have been opened since we came to government compared with the number that were opened during the time that the Liberal and National Parties were in government? Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The Leader of the Opposition was a minister in the coalition government. A former coalition police minister is in the chamber. He is avoiding eye contact and keeping very quiet. Mr J.H.D. Day : I was doing something more productive! Look at me! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The member for Darling Range is a good man! I hate to admit this - Several members interjected. THE SPEAKER (Mr F. Riebeling) : I think we should avoid eye contact! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Ever since the member for Darling Range’s university days, I have taken a perverse delight in looking at him! He used to be a very attractive young man! Mr R.F. Johnson interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is a free society. A total of 16 police stations have been opened in regional Western Australia by this government, compared with only 11 country police stations opened during the Liberal-National Party’s eight-year term; that is, 16 versus 11. The coalition closed Broomehill Police Station, did it not? Where is the outrage about Broomehill? Does that town not count any more? One hundred and fifty-five additional police have been stationed in regional Western Australia, not to mention, for example, that unemployment in regional WA has fallen to record lows, declining from 7.5 per cent in June 2001 to 3.88 per cent in the June 2006 quarter. There have been 22 major regional health capital works programs completed, or to be completed, in 2007, including new and replacement hospitals, health centres and dental clinics, with 10 additional projects due for completion in the next few years. Mr B.J. Grylls : Why does the community not thank you for it? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What about the schools? Does the Leader of the National Party have a question about schools? I will leave that to the education minister; otherwise, I will tell members about them also. I will leave that for another day. Members opposite should not believe what the spin doctors on their side are saying. They are not as good as ours. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The West Australian did not complete its examination, nor did the member for Vasse, of my spin doctors. There are two spin doctors in my office who disguise themselves as cleaners! They were the only two employees in my office who were not caught in the spin doctor net. Everyone else in my office, including Val and Denise on the front desk, are, of course, spin doctors! My office employs more spin doctors than there are cricket teams in India! We have many spin doctors! My two cleaners are spin doctors who organise all my lines for me every morning! When I go into my office, all the spin doctor lines are laid out for me! The words on this paper are those lines! Apparently they are doing a better job than are the Leader of the National Party’s spin doctors, and I thank them for that. All the figures for schools, hospitals and police are better - Mr B.J. Grylls interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I did not say that. Mr B.J. Grylls : That is what you just said. You said, “They’ve never had it so good.” Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. Did anyone hear me say those words? They were the Prime Minister’s words.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Does the Leader of the National Party think that an extra 155 police officers in regional Western Australia might be a bit above the ratio demanded by population growth? I have a feeling it is. The next time the member is talking to the people of Cranbrook, he should drive to Broomehill and say, “Oh, by the way, we should never have closed Broomehill Police Station. I promise you we’ll reopen it.” The Leader of the National Party will not do that. How many regional police stations have been opened since we came to government compared with the number that were opened during the time that the Liberal and National Parties were in government? Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The Leader of the Opposition was a minister in the coalition government. A former coalition police minister is in the chamber. He is avoiding eye contact and keeping very quiet. Mr J.H.D. Day : I was doing something more productive! Look at me! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The member for Darling Range is a good man! I hate to admit this - Several members interjected. THE SPEAKER (Mr F. Riebeling) : I think we should avoid eye contact! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Ever since the member for Darling Range’s university days, I have taken a perverse delight in looking at him! He used to be a very attractive young man! Mr R.F. Johnson interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is a free society. A total of 16 police stations have been opened in regional Western Australia by this government, compared with only 11 country police stations opened during the Liberal-National Party’s eight-year term; that is, 16 versus 11. The coalition closed Broomehill Police Station, did it not? Where is the outrage about Broomehill? Does that town not count any more? One hundred and fifty-five additional police have been stationed in regional Western Australia, not to mention, for example, that unemployment in regional WA has fallen to record lows, declining from 7.5 per cent in June 2001 to 3.88 per cent in the June 2006 quarter. There have been 22 major regional health capital works programs completed, or to be completed, in 2007, including new and replacement hospitals, health centres and dental clinics, with 10 additional projects due for completion in the next few years. Mr B.J. Grylls : Why does the community not thank you for it? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What about the schools? Does the Leader of the National Party have a question about schools? I will leave that to the education minister; otherwise, I will tell members about them also. I will leave that for another day. Members opposite should not believe what the spin doctors on their side are saying. They are not as good as ours. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The West Australian did not complete its examination, nor did the member for Vasse, of my spin doctors. There are two spin doctors in my office who disguise themselves as cleaners! They were the only two employees in my office who were not caught in the spin doctor net. Everyone else in my office, including Val and Denise on the front desk, are, of course, spin doctors! My office employs more spin doctors than there are cricket teams in India! We have many spin doctors! My two cleaners are spin doctors who organise all my lines for me every morning! When I go into my office, all the spin doctor lines are laid out for me! The words on this paper are those lines! Apparently they are doing a better job than are the Leader of the National Party’s spin doctors, and I thank them for that. All the figures for schools, hospitals and police are better - Mr B.J. Grylls interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I did not say that. Mr B.J. Grylls : That is what you just said. You said, “They’ve never had it so good.” Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. Did anyone hear me say those words? They were the Prime Minister’s words.
Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The Leader of the Opposition was a minister in the coalition government. A former coalition police minister is in the chamber. He is avoiding eye contact and keeping very quiet. Mr J.H.D. Day : I was doing something more productive! Look at me! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The member for Darling Range is a good man! I hate to admit this - Several members interjected. THE SPEAKER (Mr F. Riebeling) : I think we should avoid eye contact! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Ever since the member for Darling Range’s university days, I have taken a perverse delight in looking at him! He used to be a very attractive young man! Mr R.F. Johnson interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is a free society. A total of 16 police stations have been opened in regional Western Australia by this government, compared with only 11 country police stations opened during the Liberal-National Party’s eight-year term; that is, 16 versus 11. The coalition closed Broomehill Police Station, did it not? Where is the outrage about Broomehill? Does that town not count any more? One hundred and fifty-five additional police have been stationed in regional Western Australia, not to mention, for example, that unemployment in regional WA has fallen to record lows, declining from 7.5 per cent in June 2001 to 3.88 per cent in the June 2006 quarter. There have been 22 major regional health capital works programs completed, or to be completed, in 2007, including new and replacement hospitals, health centres and dental clinics, with 10 additional projects due for completion in the next few years. Mr B.J. Grylls : Why does the community not thank you for it? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What about the schools? Does the Leader of the National Party have a question about schools? I will leave that to the education minister; otherwise, I will tell members about them also. I will leave that for another day. Members opposite should not believe what the spin doctors on their side are saying. They are not as good as ours. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The West Australian did not complete its examination, nor did the member for Vasse, of my spin doctors. There are two spin doctors in my office who disguise themselves as cleaners! They were the only two employees in my office who were not caught in the spin doctor net. Everyone else in my office, including Val and Denise on the front desk, are, of course, spin doctors! My office employs more spin doctors than there are cricket teams in India! We have many spin doctors! My two cleaners are spin doctors who organise all my lines for me every morning! When I go into my office, all the spin doctor lines are laid out for me! The words on this paper are those lines! Apparently they are doing a better job than are the Leader of the National Party’s spin doctors, and I thank them for that. All the figures for schools, hospitals and police are better - Mr B.J. Grylls interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I did not say that. Mr B.J. Grylls : That is what you just said. You said, “They’ve never had it so good.” Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. Did anyone hear me say those words? They were the Prime Minister’s words.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The Leader of the Opposition was a minister in the coalition government. A former coalition police minister is in the chamber. He is avoiding eye contact and keeping very quiet. Mr J.H.D. Day : I was doing something more productive! Look at me! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The member for Darling Range is a good man! I hate to admit this - Several members interjected. THE SPEAKER (Mr F. Riebeling) : I think we should avoid eye contact! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Ever since the member for Darling Range’s university days, I have taken a perverse delight in looking at him! He used to be a very attractive young man! Mr R.F. Johnson interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is a free society. A total of 16 police stations have been opened in regional Western Australia by this government, compared with only 11 country police stations opened during the Liberal-National Party’s eight-year term; that is, 16 versus 11. The coalition closed Broomehill Police Station, did it not? Where is the outrage about Broomehill? Does that town not count any more? One hundred and fifty-five additional police have been stationed in regional Western Australia, not to mention, for example, that unemployment in regional WA has fallen to record lows, declining from 7.5 per cent in June 2001 to 3.88 per cent in the June 2006 quarter. There have been 22 major regional health capital works programs completed, or to be completed, in 2007, including new and replacement hospitals, health centres and dental clinics, with 10 additional projects due for completion in the next few years. Mr B.J. Grylls : Why does the community not thank you for it? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What about the schools? Does the Leader of the National Party have a question about schools? I will leave that to the education minister; otherwise, I will tell members about them also. I will leave that for another day. Members opposite should not believe what the spin doctors on their side are saying. They are not as good as ours. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The West Australian did not complete its examination, nor did the member for Vasse, of my spin doctors. There are two spin doctors in my office who disguise themselves as cleaners! They were the only two employees in my office who were not caught in the spin doctor net. Everyone else in my office, including Val and Denise on the front desk, are, of course, spin doctors! My office employs more spin doctors than there are cricket teams in India! We have many spin doctors! My two cleaners are spin doctors who organise all my lines for me every morning! When I go into my office, all the spin doctor lines are laid out for me! The words on this paper are those lines! Apparently they are doing a better job than are the Leader of the National Party’s spin doctors, and I thank them for that. All the figures for schools, hospitals and police are better - Mr B.J. Grylls interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I did not say that. Mr B.J. Grylls : That is what you just said. You said, “They’ve never had it so good.” Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. Did anyone hear me say those words? They were the Prime Minister’s words.
Mr J.H.D. Day : I was doing something more productive! Look at me! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The member for Darling Range is a good man! I hate to admit this - Several members interjected. THE SPEAKER (Mr F. Riebeling) : I think we should avoid eye contact! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Ever since the member for Darling Range’s university days, I have taken a perverse delight in looking at him! He used to be a very attractive young man! Mr R.F. Johnson interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is a free society. A total of 16 police stations have been opened in regional Western Australia by this government, compared with only 11 country police stations opened during the Liberal-National Party’s eight-year term; that is, 16 versus 11. The coalition closed Broomehill Police Station, did it not? Where is the outrage about Broomehill? Does that town not count any more? One hundred and fifty-five additional police have been stationed in regional Western Australia, not to mention, for example, that unemployment in regional WA has fallen to record lows, declining from 7.5 per cent in June 2001 to 3.88 per cent in the June 2006 quarter. There have been 22 major regional health capital works programs completed, or to be completed, in 2007, including new and replacement hospitals, health centres and dental clinics, with 10 additional projects due for completion in the next few years. Mr B.J. Grylls : Why does the community not thank you for it? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What about the schools? Does the Leader of the National Party have a question about schools? I will leave that to the education minister; otherwise, I will tell members about them also. I will leave that for another day. Members opposite should not believe what the spin doctors on their side are saying. They are not as good as ours. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The West Australian did not complete its examination, nor did the member for Vasse, of my spin doctors. There are two spin doctors in my office who disguise themselves as cleaners! They were the only two employees in my office who were not caught in the spin doctor net. Everyone else in my office, including Val and Denise on the front desk, are, of course, spin doctors! My office employs more spin doctors than there are cricket teams in India! We have many spin doctors! My two cleaners are spin doctors who organise all my lines for me every morning! When I go into my office, all the spin doctor lines are laid out for me! The words on this paper are those lines! Apparently they are doing a better job than are the Leader of the National Party’s spin doctors, and I thank them for that. All the figures for schools, hospitals and police are better - Mr B.J. Grylls interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I did not say that. Mr B.J. Grylls : That is what you just said. You said, “They’ve never had it so good.” Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. Did anyone hear me say those words? They were the Prime Minister’s words.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The member for Darling Range is a good man! I hate to admit this - Several members interjected. THE SPEAKER (Mr F. Riebeling) : I think we should avoid eye contact! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Ever since the member for Darling Range’s university days, I have taken a perverse delight in looking at him! He used to be a very attractive young man! Mr R.F. Johnson interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is a free society. A total of 16 police stations have been opened in regional Western Australia by this government, compared with only 11 country police stations opened during the Liberal-National Party’s eight-year term; that is, 16 versus 11. The coalition closed Broomehill Police Station, did it not? Where is the outrage about Broomehill? Does that town not count any more? One hundred and fifty-five additional police have been stationed in regional Western Australia, not to mention, for example, that unemployment in regional WA has fallen to record lows, declining from 7.5 per cent in June 2001 to 3.88 per cent in the June 2006 quarter. There have been 22 major regional health capital works programs completed, or to be completed, in 2007, including new and replacement hospitals, health centres and dental clinics, with 10 additional projects due for completion in the next few years. Mr B.J. Grylls : Why does the community not thank you for it? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What about the schools? Does the Leader of the National Party have a question about schools? I will leave that to the education minister; otherwise, I will tell members about them also. I will leave that for another day. Members opposite should not believe what the spin doctors on their side are saying. They are not as good as ours. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The West Australian did not complete its examination, nor did the member for Vasse, of my spin doctors. There are two spin doctors in my office who disguise themselves as cleaners! They were the only two employees in my office who were not caught in the spin doctor net. Everyone else in my office, including Val and Denise on the front desk, are, of course, spin doctors! My office employs more spin doctors than there are cricket teams in India! We have many spin doctors! My two cleaners are spin doctors who organise all my lines for me every morning! When I go into my office, all the spin doctor lines are laid out for me! The words on this paper are those lines! Apparently they are doing a better job than are the Leader of the National Party’s spin doctors, and I thank them for that. All the figures for schools, hospitals and police are better - Mr B.J. Grylls interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I did not say that. Mr B.J. Grylls : That is what you just said. You said, “They’ve never had it so good.” Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. Did anyone hear me say those words? They were the Prime Minister’s words.
Several members interjected. THE SPEAKER (Mr F. Riebeling) : I think we should avoid eye contact! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Ever since the member for Darling Range’s university days, I have taken a perverse delight in looking at him! He used to be a very attractive young man! Mr R.F. Johnson interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is a free society. A total of 16 police stations have been opened in regional Western Australia by this government, compared with only 11 country police stations opened during the Liberal-National Party’s eight-year term; that is, 16 versus 11. The coalition closed Broomehill Police Station, did it not? Where is the outrage about Broomehill? Does that town not count any more? One hundred and fifty-five additional police have been stationed in regional Western Australia, not to mention, for example, that unemployment in regional WA has fallen to record lows, declining from 7.5 per cent in June 2001 to 3.88 per cent in the June 2006 quarter. There have been 22 major regional health capital works programs completed, or to be completed, in 2007, including new and replacement hospitals, health centres and dental clinics, with 10 additional projects due for completion in the next few years. Mr B.J. Grylls : Why does the community not thank you for it? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What about the schools? Does the Leader of the National Party have a question about schools? I will leave that to the education minister; otherwise, I will tell members about them also. I will leave that for another day. Members opposite should not believe what the spin doctors on their side are saying. They are not as good as ours. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The West Australian did not complete its examination, nor did the member for Vasse, of my spin doctors. There are two spin doctors in my office who disguise themselves as cleaners! They were the only two employees in my office who were not caught in the spin doctor net. Everyone else in my office, including Val and Denise on the front desk, are, of course, spin doctors! My office employs more spin doctors than there are cricket teams in India! We have many spin doctors! My two cleaners are spin doctors who organise all my lines for me every morning! When I go into my office, all the spin doctor lines are laid out for me! The words on this paper are those lines! Apparently they are doing a better job than are the Leader of the National Party’s spin doctors, and I thank them for that. All the figures for schools, hospitals and police are better - Mr B.J. Grylls interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I did not say that. Mr B.J. Grylls : That is what you just said. You said, “They’ve never had it so good.” Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. Did anyone hear me say those words? They were the Prime Minister’s words.
THE SPEAKER (Mr F. Riebeling) : I think we should avoid eye contact! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Ever since the member for Darling Range’s university days, I have taken a perverse delight in looking at him! He used to be a very attractive young man! Mr R.F. Johnson interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is a free society. A total of 16 police stations have been opened in regional Western Australia by this government, compared with only 11 country police stations opened during the Liberal-National Party’s eight-year term; that is, 16 versus 11. The coalition closed Broomehill Police Station, did it not? Where is the outrage about Broomehill? Does that town not count any more? One hundred and fifty-five additional police have been stationed in regional Western Australia, not to mention, for example, that unemployment in regional WA has fallen to record lows, declining from 7.5 per cent in June 2001 to 3.88 per cent in the June 2006 quarter. There have been 22 major regional health capital works programs completed, or to be completed, in 2007, including new and replacement hospitals, health centres and dental clinics, with 10 additional projects due for completion in the next few years. Mr B.J. Grylls : Why does the community not thank you for it? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What about the schools? Does the Leader of the National Party have a question about schools? I will leave that to the education minister; otherwise, I will tell members about them also. I will leave that for another day. Members opposite should not believe what the spin doctors on their side are saying. They are not as good as ours. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The West Australian did not complete its examination, nor did the member for Vasse, of my spin doctors. There are two spin doctors in my office who disguise themselves as cleaners! They were the only two employees in my office who were not caught in the spin doctor net. Everyone else in my office, including Val and Denise on the front desk, are, of course, spin doctors! My office employs more spin doctors than there are cricket teams in India! We have many spin doctors! My two cleaners are spin doctors who organise all my lines for me every morning! When I go into my office, all the spin doctor lines are laid out for me! The words on this paper are those lines! Apparently they are doing a better job than are the Leader of the National Party’s spin doctors, and I thank them for that. All the figures for schools, hospitals and police are better - Mr B.J. Grylls interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I did not say that. Mr B.J. Grylls : That is what you just said. You said, “They’ve never had it so good.” Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. Did anyone hear me say those words? They were the Prime Minister’s words.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Ever since the member for Darling Range’s university days, I have taken a perverse delight in looking at him! He used to be a very attractive young man! Mr R.F. Johnson interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is a free society. A total of 16 police stations have been opened in regional Western Australia by this government, compared with only 11 country police stations opened during the Liberal-National Party’s eight-year term; that is, 16 versus 11. The coalition closed Broomehill Police Station, did it not? Where is the outrage about Broomehill? Does that town not count any more? One hundred and fifty-five additional police have been stationed in regional Western Australia, not to mention, for example, that unemployment in regional WA has fallen to record lows, declining from 7.5 per cent in June 2001 to 3.88 per cent in the June 2006 quarter. There have been 22 major regional health capital works programs completed, or to be completed, in 2007, including new and replacement hospitals, health centres and dental clinics, with 10 additional projects due for completion in the next few years. Mr B.J. Grylls : Why does the community not thank you for it? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What about the schools? Does the Leader of the National Party have a question about schools? I will leave that to the education minister; otherwise, I will tell members about them also. I will leave that for another day. Members opposite should not believe what the spin doctors on their side are saying. They are not as good as ours. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The West Australian did not complete its examination, nor did the member for Vasse, of my spin doctors. There are two spin doctors in my office who disguise themselves as cleaners! They were the only two employees in my office who were not caught in the spin doctor net. Everyone else in my office, including Val and Denise on the front desk, are, of course, spin doctors! My office employs more spin doctors than there are cricket teams in India! We have many spin doctors! My two cleaners are spin doctors who organise all my lines for me every morning! When I go into my office, all the spin doctor lines are laid out for me! The words on this paper are those lines! Apparently they are doing a better job than are the Leader of the National Party’s spin doctors, and I thank them for that. All the figures for schools, hospitals and police are better - Mr B.J. Grylls interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I did not say that. Mr B.J. Grylls : That is what you just said. You said, “They’ve never had it so good.” Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. Did anyone hear me say those words? They were the Prime Minister’s words.
Mr R.F. Johnson interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is a free society. A total of 16 police stations have been opened in regional Western Australia by this government, compared with only 11 country police stations opened during the Liberal-National Party’s eight-year term; that is, 16 versus 11. The coalition closed Broomehill Police Station, did it not? Where is the outrage about Broomehill? Does that town not count any more? One hundred and fifty-five additional police have been stationed in regional Western Australia, not to mention, for example, that unemployment in regional WA has fallen to record lows, declining from 7.5 per cent in June 2001 to 3.88 per cent in the June 2006 quarter. There have been 22 major regional health capital works programs completed, or to be completed, in 2007, including new and replacement hospitals, health centres and dental clinics, with 10 additional projects due for completion in the next few years. Mr B.J. Grylls : Why does the community not thank you for it? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What about the schools? Does the Leader of the National Party have a question about schools? I will leave that to the education minister; otherwise, I will tell members about them also. I will leave that for another day. Members opposite should not believe what the spin doctors on their side are saying. They are not as good as ours. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The West Australian did not complete its examination, nor did the member for Vasse, of my spin doctors. There are two spin doctors in my office who disguise themselves as cleaners! They were the only two employees in my office who were not caught in the spin doctor net. Everyone else in my office, including Val and Denise on the front desk, are, of course, spin doctors! My office employs more spin doctors than there are cricket teams in India! We have many spin doctors! My two cleaners are spin doctors who organise all my lines for me every morning! When I go into my office, all the spin doctor lines are laid out for me! The words on this paper are those lines! Apparently they are doing a better job than are the Leader of the National Party’s spin doctors, and I thank them for that. All the figures for schools, hospitals and police are better - Mr B.J. Grylls interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I did not say that. Mr B.J. Grylls : That is what you just said. You said, “They’ve never had it so good.” Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. Did anyone hear me say those words? They were the Prime Minister’s words.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is a free society. A total of 16 police stations have been opened in regional Western Australia by this government, compared with only 11 country police stations opened during the Liberal-National Party’s eight-year term; that is, 16 versus 11. The coalition closed Broomehill Police Station, did it not? Where is the outrage about Broomehill? Does that town not count any more? One hundred and fifty-five additional police have been stationed in regional Western Australia, not to mention, for example, that unemployment in regional WA has fallen to record lows, declining from 7.5 per cent in June 2001 to 3.88 per cent in the June 2006 quarter. There have been 22 major regional health capital works programs completed, or to be completed, in 2007, including new and replacement hospitals, health centres and dental clinics, with 10 additional projects due for completion in the next few years. Mr B.J. Grylls : Why does the community not thank you for it? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What about the schools? Does the Leader of the National Party have a question about schools? I will leave that to the education minister; otherwise, I will tell members about them also. I will leave that for another day. Members opposite should not believe what the spin doctors on their side are saying. They are not as good as ours. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The West Australian did not complete its examination, nor did the member for Vasse, of my spin doctors. There are two spin doctors in my office who disguise themselves as cleaners! They were the only two employees in my office who were not caught in the spin doctor net. Everyone else in my office, including Val and Denise on the front desk, are, of course, spin doctors! My office employs more spin doctors than there are cricket teams in India! We have many spin doctors! My two cleaners are spin doctors who organise all my lines for me every morning! When I go into my office, all the spin doctor lines are laid out for me! The words on this paper are those lines! Apparently they are doing a better job than are the Leader of the National Party’s spin doctors, and I thank them for that. All the figures for schools, hospitals and police are better - Mr B.J. Grylls interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I did not say that. Mr B.J. Grylls : That is what you just said. You said, “They’ve never had it so good.” Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. Did anyone hear me say those words? They were the Prime Minister’s words.
A total of 16 police stations have been opened in regional Western Australia by this government, compared with only 11 country police stations opened during the Liberal-National Party’s eight-year term; that is, 16 versus 11. The coalition closed Broomehill Police Station, did it not? Where is the outrage about Broomehill? Does that town not count any more? One hundred and fifty-five additional police have been stationed in regional Western Australia, not to mention, for example, that unemployment in regional WA has fallen to record lows, declining from 7.5 per cent in June 2001 to 3.88 per cent in the June 2006 quarter. There have been 22 major regional health capital works programs completed, or to be completed, in 2007, including new and replacement hospitals, health centres and dental clinics, with 10 additional projects due for completion in the next few years. Mr B.J. Grylls : Why does the community not thank you for it? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What about the schools? Does the Leader of the National Party have a question about schools? I will leave that to the education minister; otherwise, I will tell members about them also. I will leave that for another day. Members opposite should not believe what the spin doctors on their side are saying. They are not as good as ours. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The West Australian did not complete its examination, nor did the member for Vasse, of my spin doctors. There are two spin doctors in my office who disguise themselves as cleaners! They were the only two employees in my office who were not caught in the spin doctor net. Everyone else in my office, including Val and Denise on the front desk, are, of course, spin doctors! My office employs more spin doctors than there are cricket teams in India! We have many spin doctors! My two cleaners are spin doctors who organise all my lines for me every morning! When I go into my office, all the spin doctor lines are laid out for me! The words on this paper are those lines! Apparently they are doing a better job than are the Leader of the National Party’s spin doctors, and I thank them for that. All the figures for schools, hospitals and police are better - Mr B.J. Grylls interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I did not say that. Mr B.J. Grylls : That is what you just said. You said, “They’ve never had it so good.” Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. Did anyone hear me say those words? They were the Prime Minister’s words.
Mr B.J. Grylls : Why does the community not thank you for it? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What about the schools? Does the Leader of the National Party have a question about schools? I will leave that to the education minister; otherwise, I will tell members about them also. I will leave that for another day. Members opposite should not believe what the spin doctors on their side are saying. They are not as good as ours. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The West Australian did not complete its examination, nor did the member for Vasse, of my spin doctors. There are two spin doctors in my office who disguise themselves as cleaners! They were the only two employees in my office who were not caught in the spin doctor net. Everyone else in my office, including Val and Denise on the front desk, are, of course, spin doctors! My office employs more spin doctors than there are cricket teams in India! We have many spin doctors! My two cleaners are spin doctors who organise all my lines for me every morning! When I go into my office, all the spin doctor lines are laid out for me! The words on this paper are those lines! Apparently they are doing a better job than are the Leader of the National Party’s spin doctors, and I thank them for that. All the figures for schools, hospitals and police are better - Mr B.J. Grylls interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I did not say that. Mr B.J. Grylls : That is what you just said. You said, “They’ve never had it so good.” Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. Did anyone hear me say those words? They were the Prime Minister’s words.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What about the schools? Does the Leader of the National Party have a question about schools? I will leave that to the education minister; otherwise, I will tell members about them also. I will leave that for another day. Members opposite should not believe what the spin doctors on their side are saying. They are not as good as ours. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The West Australian did not complete its examination, nor did the member for Vasse, of my spin doctors. There are two spin doctors in my office who disguise themselves as cleaners! They were the only two employees in my office who were not caught in the spin doctor net. Everyone else in my office, including Val and Denise on the front desk, are, of course, spin doctors! My office employs more spin doctors than there are cricket teams in India! We have many spin doctors! My two cleaners are spin doctors who organise all my lines for me every morning! When I go into my office, all the spin doctor lines are laid out for me! The words on this paper are those lines! Apparently they are doing a better job than are the Leader of the National Party’s spin doctors, and I thank them for that. All the figures for schools, hospitals and police are better - Mr B.J. Grylls interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I did not say that. Mr B.J. Grylls : That is what you just said. You said, “They’ve never had it so good.” Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. Did anyone hear me say those words? They were the Prime Minister’s words.
Members opposite should not believe what the spin doctors on their side are saying. They are not as good as ours. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The West Australian did not complete its examination, nor did the member for Vasse, of my spin doctors. There are two spin doctors in my office who disguise themselves as cleaners! They were the only two employees in my office who were not caught in the spin doctor net. Everyone else in my office, including Val and Denise on the front desk, are, of course, spin doctors! My office employs more spin doctors than there are cricket teams in India! We have many spin doctors! My two cleaners are spin doctors who organise all my lines for me every morning! When I go into my office, all the spin doctor lines are laid out for me! The words on this paper are those lines! Apparently they are doing a better job than are the Leader of the National Party’s spin doctors, and I thank them for that. All the figures for schools, hospitals and police are better - Mr B.J. Grylls interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I did not say that. Mr B.J. Grylls : That is what you just said. You said, “They’ve never had it so good.” Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. Did anyone hear me say those words? They were the Prime Minister’s words.
Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The West Australian did not complete its examination, nor did the member for Vasse, of my spin doctors. There are two spin doctors in my office who disguise themselves as cleaners! They were the only two employees in my office who were not caught in the spin doctor net. Everyone else in my office, including Val and Denise on the front desk, are, of course, spin doctors! My office employs more spin doctors than there are cricket teams in India! We have many spin doctors! My two cleaners are spin doctors who organise all my lines for me every morning! When I go into my office, all the spin doctor lines are laid out for me! The words on this paper are those lines! Apparently they are doing a better job than are the Leader of the National Party’s spin doctors, and I thank them for that. All the figures for schools, hospitals and police are better - Mr B.J. Grylls interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I did not say that. Mr B.J. Grylls : That is what you just said. You said, “They’ve never had it so good.” Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. Did anyone hear me say those words? They were the Prime Minister’s words.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The West Australian did not complete its examination, nor did the member for Vasse, of my spin doctors. There are two spin doctors in my office who disguise themselves as cleaners! They were the only two employees in my office who were not caught in the spin doctor net. Everyone else in my office, including Val and Denise on the front desk, are, of course, spin doctors! My office employs more spin doctors than there are cricket teams in India! We have many spin doctors! My two cleaners are spin doctors who organise all my lines for me every morning! When I go into my office, all the spin doctor lines are laid out for me! The words on this paper are those lines! Apparently they are doing a better job than are the Leader of the National Party’s spin doctors, and I thank them for that. All the figures for schools, hospitals and police are better - Mr B.J. Grylls interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I did not say that. Mr B.J. Grylls : That is what you just said. You said, “They’ve never had it so good.” Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. Did anyone hear me say those words? They were the Prime Minister’s words.
Mr B.J. Grylls interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I did not say that. Mr B.J. Grylls : That is what you just said. You said, “They’ve never had it so good.” Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. Did anyone hear me say those words? They were the Prime Minister’s words.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I did not say that. Mr B.J. Grylls : That is what you just said. You said, “They’ve never had it so good.” Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. Did anyone hear me say those words? They were the Prime Minister’s words.
Mr B.J. Grylls : That is what you just said. You said, “They’ve never had it so good.” Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. Did anyone hear me say those words? They were the Prime Minister’s words.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. Did anyone hear me say those words? They were the Prime Minister’s words.
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