❓ Mr. McGrath questions the Minister for Police about Labor's record on police station closures and promises, contrasting it with the current government's approach to crime. The Minister responds critically, highlighting Labor's past closures and questioning the motives behind their new promises.
AnsweredQoN 273Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
POLICE STATIONS — LABOR PARTY RECORD
273. Mr J.E. McGRATH to the Minister for Police:
During his visionless budget reply speech yesterday, the
Leader of the Opposition claimed that Labor would build three new police
stations if it wins government. However,
I am all too aware that when Labor was last in government it closed a police
station in my electorate.
Several members
interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Thank you, members!
Members have short memories. I do not want to hear anybody other than the
person asking the question. Short memory, member for Victoria Park. Short
memory, member for Joondalup.
Mr J.E. McGRATH : Thank you, Mr Speaker. The question relates
to the Leader of the Opposition's claim in his budget reply speech
yesterday that if Labor wins government, it will build three new police
stations. I am very aware that when Labor was last in government it closed a
police station in my electorate. Can the minister inform the house of Labor's
record in closing police stations, promising to open police stations and
allowing police stations to deteriorate?
273. Mr J.E. McGRATH to the Minister for Police:
During his visionless budget reply speech yesterday, the
Leader of the Opposition claimed that Labor would build three new police
stations if it wins government. However,
I am all too aware that when Labor was last in government it closed a police
station in my electorate.
Several members
interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Thank you, members!
Members have short memories. I do not want to hear anybody other than the
person asking the question. Short memory, member for Victoria Park. Short
memory, member for Joondalup.
Mr J.E. McGRATH : Thank you, Mr Speaker. The question relates
to the Leader of the Opposition's claim in his budget reply speech
yesterday that if Labor wins government, it will build three new police
stations. I am very aware that when Labor was last in government it closed a
police station in my electorate. Can the minister inform the house of Labor's
record in closing police stations, promising to open police stations and
allowing police stations to deteriorate?
AnswerView source ↗
Yes, I was quite
interested to hear the Leader of the Opposition's revelation that he
will open three police stations should Labor win government. I was interested
to see where those three police stations would be, and of course they are in three
marginal Labor seats. He wants to open one in Capel, where there is absolutely
no call for one. That is to help the member for Collie–Preston in his
marginal seat. I am sorry, member for Collie–Preston; come the election
I think it will be bye-bye, and the member will be able to collect marron at
will. What was the next one? It was in Warnbro. There has never been a police
station in Warnbro because the police never felt there was a need for one
there. One was promised during the by-election that saw the member for Warnbro
elected to this place. That was promised against the will of the police, but
the Labor Party wanted to try to help the Labor candidate in that election. The
other one, of course, will be in Ballajura.
Mr J.R. Quigley interjected.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I will get to you, sunshine, don't
you worry!
Let us just look at Ballajura. Ballajura did not have a real police
station; it was a shopfront. It was in such a disgraceful condition that there
was no way our officers could carry on working from that police post—if
I can call it that. They also had trouble parking around the back of the
building because vegetable trucks were blocking their way. It was a leased
property and the lease ran out soon after we took government. When I went and
saw that so-called police station, I believed it was in such a state that our
officers should not work there. What was the record under Labor? Do they just
open police stations? I will tell members how many it closed. It closed 13. In
seven and a half years it closed 13 police stations! I will tell members which
ones they were, because I am sure they are interested. This was under the
Carpenter and Gallop governments. Former Labor governments closed police
stations in South Perth, Victoria Park, Nedlands, New Norcia, North Perth,
Maylands, Innaloo, Menzies, Gascoyne Junction, Dumbleyung, Wickepin, Cranbrook
and Trayning. One police post at Brunswick was also closed. When we came to
government, we reopened three police stations in regional areas because there
was a definite need for them.
The Leader of the Opposition is the problem. He is a bit like a
condemned person on death row; he has suddenly discovered religion, because he
thinks that law and order is the panacea to him winning the next election. The
Leader of the Opposition has come along and discovered very late that law and
order is an issue. The general public does not believe him. Why do they not
believe him? I know that pictures speak louder than words, so I will share a
little graph—it is up to date—that members might like to see.
It shows the level of crime in the last four years of the Labor government
compared with the first four years of our government. In the red corner we see
the Labor government's record. In the blue corner we see the
conservatives—the Liberal–National government. Even with the
spike that we saw in the last six months—I accept there was a spike; we
have addressed that—when members compare where we are today with where
we were under Labor, we are nowhere near where they were. Quite frankly, the
general public will look at the three parties and come the election they will
decide who is really committed to dealing with crime and drugs. They will see
that, historically, the Labor Party has been soft on drugs and soft on crime.
The Liberal–National government is very hard on drugs and very hard on
crime.
Tabling of Paper
Ms M.M. QUIRK : The minister held up a graph. Could he
table it please?
The SPEAKER : Minister, can you provide me with that document you produced and I
will determine whether it needs to be tabled.
[See page 3263.]
interested to hear the Leader of the Opposition's revelation that he
will open three police stations should Labor win government. I was interested
to see where those three police stations would be, and of course they are in three
marginal Labor seats. He wants to open one in Capel, where there is absolutely
no call for one. That is to help the member for Collie–Preston in his
marginal seat. I am sorry, member for Collie–Preston; come the election
I think it will be bye-bye, and the member will be able to collect marron at
will. What was the next one? It was in Warnbro. There has never been a police
station in Warnbro because the police never felt there was a need for one
there. One was promised during the by-election that saw the member for Warnbro
elected to this place. That was promised against the will of the police, but
the Labor Party wanted to try to help the Labor candidate in that election. The
other one, of course, will be in Ballajura.
Mr J.R. Quigley interjected.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I will get to you, sunshine, don't
you worry!
Let us just look at Ballajura. Ballajura did not have a real police
station; it was a shopfront. It was in such a disgraceful condition that there
was no way our officers could carry on working from that police post—if
I can call it that. They also had trouble parking around the back of the
building because vegetable trucks were blocking their way. It was a leased
property and the lease ran out soon after we took government. When I went and
saw that so-called police station, I believed it was in such a state that our
officers should not work there. What was the record under Labor? Do they just
open police stations? I will tell members how many it closed. It closed 13. In
seven and a half years it closed 13 police stations! I will tell members which
ones they were, because I am sure they are interested. This was under the
Carpenter and Gallop governments. Former Labor governments closed police
stations in South Perth, Victoria Park, Nedlands, New Norcia, North Perth,
Maylands, Innaloo, Menzies, Gascoyne Junction, Dumbleyung, Wickepin, Cranbrook
and Trayning. One police post at Brunswick was also closed. When we came to
government, we reopened three police stations in regional areas because there
was a definite need for them.
The Leader of the Opposition is the problem. He is a bit like a
condemned person on death row; he has suddenly discovered religion, because he
thinks that law and order is the panacea to him winning the next election. The
Leader of the Opposition has come along and discovered very late that law and
order is an issue. The general public does not believe him. Why do they not
believe him? I know that pictures speak louder than words, so I will share a
little graph—it is up to date—that members might like to see.
It shows the level of crime in the last four years of the Labor government
compared with the first four years of our government. In the red corner we see
the Labor government's record. In the blue corner we see the
conservatives—the Liberal–National government. Even with the
spike that we saw in the last six months—I accept there was a spike; we
have addressed that—when members compare where we are today with where
we were under Labor, we are nowhere near where they were. Quite frankly, the
general public will look at the three parties and come the election they will
decide who is really committed to dealing with crime and drugs. They will see
that, historically, the Labor Party has been soft on drugs and soft on crime.
The Liberal–National government is very hard on drugs and very hard on
crime.
Tabling of Paper
Ms M.M. QUIRK : The minister held up a graph. Could he
table it please?
The SPEAKER : Minister, can you provide me with that document you produced and I
will determine whether it needs to be tabled.
[See page 3263.]
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