❓ Mrs Roberts questions the Minister for Police about the declining police staff to population ratio since 2008-09. The Minister avoids directly answering, focusing instead on police effectiveness and crime reduction statistics, leading to points of order.
AnsweredQoN 126Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
POLICE
STAFF TO POPULATION RATIO
126. Mrs M.H. ROBERTS to the
Minister for Police:
I again refer to table CA.5 of the ''Report on
Government Services 2015'', which I have already provided to the
minister.
(1) In 2008–09, was the police staff to population
ratio 338 staff per 100 000 people?
(2) Is the police staff to population ratio now only 308
staff per 100 000 people?
(3) Does this
mean that there are now far fewer police per person than there were when the
Liberal Party came into office; and, if not, why not?
STAFF TO POPULATION RATIO
126. Mrs M.H. ROBERTS to the
Minister for Police:
I again refer to table CA.5 of the ''Report on
Government Services 2015'', which I have already provided to the
minister.
(1) In 2008–09, was the police staff to population
ratio 338 staff per 100 000 people?
(2) Is the police staff to population ratio now only 308
staff per 100 000 people?
(3) Does this
mean that there are now far fewer police per person than there were when the
Liberal Party came into office; and, if not, why not?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(3)
She is back for more punishment. The member for Midland cannot stand the fact
that we have committed to 550 additional police and police auxiliary officers
and we are achieving it. She
cannot bear it. She also cannot
stand that our police officers are more effective than ever because they are
examining and re-examining the way that they do business. We have already
recruited a large number of our detectives.
Point of Order
Mrs
M.H. ROBERTS : I have not asked a general question. My question is
whether there are now fewer
police per population than there were in 2008. It is a rather simple question and perhaps the minister could just answer that, rather than give a
rehearsed diatribe.
The
SPEAKER : You have made your point. That was a specific question,
minister.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Mrs L.M. HARVEY :
It is so typical of the Labor Party; all it wants is numbers, numbers, numbers.
Several members interjected.
Mrs L.M. HARVEY :
Do members know what we want over here? We want effectiveness.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Warnbro and member for West Swan, I do not want to hear you when I
am on my feet.
Mrs L.M. HARVEY : We on this side of the house are about
effective policing. Members opposite want bums on seats. We are delivering police officers into
our community at a faster rate than they have ever been delivered before. The
important question here is: what are we achieving? We have achieved a 7.6 per cent reduction in total offences against
the person from when the Labor Party was in government. We have achieved a 33 per
cent reduction in offences against property from when the Labor Party was in
government.
Point of Order
Mrs
M.H. ROBERTS : I understand, Mr Speaker, that following my earlier
point of order you asked the minister to answer the question that I asked,
rather than give her usual prepared diatribe. I believe she is in contempt of
your ruling.
The
SPEAKER : Minister, the question was whether there are fewer police per 100 000 people, so can you just address
that.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Mrs
L.M. HARVEY : I am talking about the effectiveness of police. When we look at the offence rate per 100 000
people, which feeds directly into the effectiveness of our policing effort, we see
that in 2007–08 there were 653 non-domestic assault offences per 100 000
people in 2004 and that is down to 436 offences per 100 000 people. That is a
significant reduction. In 2007–08, there were 1 209 dwelling burglary
offences per 100 000 people. How were we in 2013–14? There were 1 009 offences per 100 000 people. The
crime rate is going down. Policing is more effective than ever before. Our
strategy is working. Our police are working harder than ever before. The member
for Midland cannot stand it, but the community loves it. Our police know that
they are supported by a government that introduces legislation to support their
efforts in the community. We will continue to do this because the community
want that promise fulfilled.
She is back for more punishment. The member for Midland cannot stand the fact
that we have committed to 550 additional police and police auxiliary officers
and we are achieving it. She
cannot bear it. She also cannot
stand that our police officers are more effective than ever because they are
examining and re-examining the way that they do business. We have already
recruited a large number of our detectives.
Point of Order
Mrs
M.H. ROBERTS : I have not asked a general question. My question is
whether there are now fewer
police per population than there were in 2008. It is a rather simple question and perhaps the minister could just answer that, rather than give a
rehearsed diatribe.
The
SPEAKER : You have made your point. That was a specific question,
minister.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Mrs L.M. HARVEY :
It is so typical of the Labor Party; all it wants is numbers, numbers, numbers.
Several members interjected.
Mrs L.M. HARVEY :
Do members know what we want over here? We want effectiveness.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Warnbro and member for West Swan, I do not want to hear you when I
am on my feet.
Mrs L.M. HARVEY : We on this side of the house are about
effective policing. Members opposite want bums on seats. We are delivering police officers into
our community at a faster rate than they have ever been delivered before. The
important question here is: what are we achieving? We have achieved a 7.6 per cent reduction in total offences against
the person from when the Labor Party was in government. We have achieved a 33 per
cent reduction in offences against property from when the Labor Party was in
government.
Point of Order
Mrs
M.H. ROBERTS : I understand, Mr Speaker, that following my earlier
point of order you asked the minister to answer the question that I asked,
rather than give her usual prepared diatribe. I believe she is in contempt of
your ruling.
The
SPEAKER : Minister, the question was whether there are fewer police per 100 000 people, so can you just address
that.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Mrs
L.M. HARVEY : I am talking about the effectiveness of police. When we look at the offence rate per 100 000
people, which feeds directly into the effectiveness of our policing effort, we see
that in 2007–08 there were 653 non-domestic assault offences per 100 000
people in 2004 and that is down to 436 offences per 100 000 people. That is a
significant reduction. In 2007–08, there were 1 209 dwelling burglary
offences per 100 000 people. How were we in 2013–14? There were 1 009 offences per 100 000 people. The
crime rate is going down. Policing is more effective than ever before. Our
strategy is working. Our police are working harder than ever before. The member
for Midland cannot stand it, but the community loves it. Our police know that
they are supported by a government that introduces legislation to support their
efforts in the community. We will continue to do this because the community
want that promise fulfilled.
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