❓ Questioning the Premier on policing strategies, specifically regarding police presence in community youth centres and schools, and the effectiveness of the summer crime strategy. The Premier's response is somewhat evasive and leads to interjections and disorder in parliament.
AnsweredQoN 223Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
POLICING — COMMUNITY PLACEMENTS; SUMMER CRIME STRATEGY
223. Mrs M.H. ROBERTS to the Premier:
(1) Why does
the Premier not, unlike Liberal members Hon
Phil Edman, Hon Donna Faragher and the member for Geraldton, see the value of
having police officers based at police and community youth centres?
(2) Why did
the Premier promise to base police officers at schools at the last election and
why has he not delivered on that promise?
(3) Can the
Premier explain why his police minister thinks the summer crime strategy was a
success?
(4) If crime
goes up even more under the Premier's government next summer, would he regard
that as an even greater success?
223. Mrs M.H. ROBERTS to the Premier:
(1) Why does
the Premier not, unlike Liberal members Hon
Phil Edman, Hon Donna Faragher and the member for Geraldton, see the value of
having police officers based at police and community youth centres?
(2) Why did
the Premier promise to base police officers at schools at the last election and
why has he not delivered on that promise?
(3) Can the
Premier explain why his police minister thinks the summer crime strategy was a
success?
(4) If crime
goes up even more under the Premier's government next summer, would he regard
that as an even greater success?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(4)
There were four different topics in that question. It probably should have been
four questions.
An opposition
member: Do you think you're up for it?
Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes, I think so.
There has been a lot of discussion about PCYCs. There has
been a lot of discussion in the Liberal party room about it. Indeed, I think
that probably a majority of members, including the minister, agree on the
importance of uniformed police officers being in PCYCs.
Mrs M.H. Roberts :
Based at them?
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
That is an issue of how it is done. Without divulging what was discussed in the
party room, I think one of the very good comments made by one Liberal member
was to the effect that maybe there needs to be somewhat of a rethinking of the
model of PCYCs, and I think that has a lot of merit. RUN ON
In particular, there was a desire that young people who fall
foul of the justice system, and repeat and serial offenders, should be
channelled more into those organisations. That is a conversation that is going
on. Just because PCYCs have been there for a long time does not mean they
should stay.
Mrs M.H. Roberts :
So you want to get rid of them?
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
No. Some of the centres that work well are the ones that have a centre manager—from
my understanding they have a manager looking after the total use of the
facility, rather than a sworn police officer.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Warnbro!
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
have four questions to answer. We do support PCYCs. I think the police
commissioner has made it clear that there will be little, or no, change
probably over the next 12 months or so. But we will look as a government at the
most effective way in which PCYCs can operate, and they will include uniformed
police officers—they will.
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, I formally call you to
order for the first time today. Member for Albany, I formally call you to order
for the first time today. Member for Warnbro, I formally call you to order for
the first time today.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : On the second question, police in schools, I think police do
play an important role in schools, and indeed we still do have police visiting
schools. But if the member wants the detail of that, she should ask the
Minister for Police.
Several members interjected.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : I have four questions to get through.
Mrs
M.H. Roberts : This was your election commitment!
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
When I was the Minister for Education, a long time ago, we did have police in
schools, and they made a very positive impact. I still think that is a valuable
part of community policing.
Mrs M.H. Roberts :
You promised it! Why are you not doing it?
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
Please! I have four questions to get through.
Mrs M.H. Roberts :
So you are not going to answer one of them?
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
have just answered one. To answer the second one—do I support police in
schools?—yes, I do. I think it has worked well.
Mr J.N. Hyde : You're
a fibber!
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
am a fibber? I am sorry; I do not fib, member for Perth! I do not.
Mr J.N. Hyde : You
promised police in schools! Where are they?
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
said I support them. That was the question. I do. I think it is a good idea.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Victoria Park, I formally call you to order for the first time
today. Member for Albany, I formally call you to order for the second time
today. Members, if we are going to get through an appropriate number of
questions in this place, it might be achieved if there were fewer
interjections. It is a very simple request.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
On the crime strategy, I do support that intensity of effort over the summer
period. I do not have the statistics in front of me, but my understanding is
that offences against the person have decreased; offences against property have
increased. The crime strategy was targeted at protecting people, because we do
have violence in our community—we do. On the reasons for that, I guess
there are people more qualified than me, but I suggest one of them is the
proliferation of drugs in our community, and the others are binge drinking and
out-of-control parties. We have acted, and the police commissioner and the
police minister have acted, to provide greater protection for the individual
against assaults on the individual.
I have so many questions here that I can barely cope with
them. What was the member's fourth question?
Mrs M.H. Roberts :
If crime goes up even more next summer, will it be an even greater
success?
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
That is only three. There were four questions. What was the fourth question?
Several members interjected.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
thought there was a fourth question.
Mrs M.H. Roberts : No;
there were three.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
thought there were four. Maybe the member has dropped one.
There were four different topics in that question. It probably should have been
four questions.
An opposition
member: Do you think you're up for it?
Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes, I think so.
There has been a lot of discussion about PCYCs. There has
been a lot of discussion in the Liberal party room about it. Indeed, I think
that probably a majority of members, including the minister, agree on the
importance of uniformed police officers being in PCYCs.
Mrs M.H. Roberts :
Based at them?
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
That is an issue of how it is done. Without divulging what was discussed in the
party room, I think one of the very good comments made by one Liberal member
was to the effect that maybe there needs to be somewhat of a rethinking of the
model of PCYCs, and I think that has a lot of merit. RUN ON
In particular, there was a desire that young people who fall
foul of the justice system, and repeat and serial offenders, should be
channelled more into those organisations. That is a conversation that is going
on. Just because PCYCs have been there for a long time does not mean they
should stay.
Mrs M.H. Roberts :
So you want to get rid of them?
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
No. Some of the centres that work well are the ones that have a centre manager—from
my understanding they have a manager looking after the total use of the
facility, rather than a sworn police officer.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Warnbro!
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
have four questions to answer. We do support PCYCs. I think the police
commissioner has made it clear that there will be little, or no, change
probably over the next 12 months or so. But we will look as a government at the
most effective way in which PCYCs can operate, and they will include uniformed
police officers—they will.
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, I formally call you to
order for the first time today. Member for Albany, I formally call you to order
for the first time today. Member for Warnbro, I formally call you to order for
the first time today.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : On the second question, police in schools, I think police do
play an important role in schools, and indeed we still do have police visiting
schools. But if the member wants the detail of that, she should ask the
Minister for Police.
Several members interjected.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : I have four questions to get through.
Mrs
M.H. Roberts : This was your election commitment!
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
When I was the Minister for Education, a long time ago, we did have police in
schools, and they made a very positive impact. I still think that is a valuable
part of community policing.
Mrs M.H. Roberts :
You promised it! Why are you not doing it?
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
Please! I have four questions to get through.
Mrs M.H. Roberts :
So you are not going to answer one of them?
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
have just answered one. To answer the second one—do I support police in
schools?—yes, I do. I think it has worked well.
Mr J.N. Hyde : You're
a fibber!
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
am a fibber? I am sorry; I do not fib, member for Perth! I do not.
Mr J.N. Hyde : You
promised police in schools! Where are they?
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
said I support them. That was the question. I do. I think it is a good idea.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Victoria Park, I formally call you to order for the first time
today. Member for Albany, I formally call you to order for the second time
today. Members, if we are going to get through an appropriate number of
questions in this place, it might be achieved if there were fewer
interjections. It is a very simple request.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
On the crime strategy, I do support that intensity of effort over the summer
period. I do not have the statistics in front of me, but my understanding is
that offences against the person have decreased; offences against property have
increased. The crime strategy was targeted at protecting people, because we do
have violence in our community—we do. On the reasons for that, I guess
there are people more qualified than me, but I suggest one of them is the
proliferation of drugs in our community, and the others are binge drinking and
out-of-control parties. We have acted, and the police commissioner and the
police minister have acted, to provide greater protection for the individual
against assaults on the individual.
I have so many questions here that I can barely cope with
them. What was the member's fourth question?
Mrs M.H. Roberts :
If crime goes up even more next summer, will it be an even greater
success?
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
That is only three. There were four questions. What was the fourth question?
Several members interjected.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
thought there was a fourth question.
Mrs M.H. Roberts : No;
there were three.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
thought there were four. Maybe the member has dropped one.
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