Page 4955 - Week 16 - Tuesday, 26 November 1991
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protesters are not local, thank God, but are professional protesters from interstate. That policing is something the Commonwealth should pay for. I would hate to see the Territory, in its strapped financial circumstances, having to pay for it. Those situations must be looked at.
It has been mentioned in the Estimates Committee hearings that, in relation to policing perhaps this Government and future governments have to be a little tougher with the Commonwealth in making sure that they pay their fair share of policing. I think maybe they have had a bit of a lend of us there. The Federal and Commonwealth functions exercised by the local component of the AFP are quite significant, and I think a lot more could be got out of the Commonwealth.
That being said, I do not think the Government can be particularly proud of its absolutely abysmal effort in relation to this part of the budget. It is interesting that in the last couple of days the Attorney has come out for the first time and supported the police. Better late than never, I suppose; at least we will give him credit for that.
As a result of the police budget cuts, the very popular and effective shopfronts have been cut. That amounts to a saving of only $51,000 out of about $103,000 for minor leases. The very effective crime prevention program - the $20,000 for Crime Prevention Week - has also ceased. The idea of that is to make citizens more aware of how they can protect themselves, what the police force is all about, and what people can do to maximise their ability to resist crime.
I indicate to Mr Connolly that there has been a spate of break and enters in the last couple of days in the area where he lives.
Mrs Nolan: What about Tuggeranong?
MR STEFANIAK: I do not know that he has been broken into, but four or five houses in Astrolabe Street got done over in the last day. Jansz Crescent is another area where there was a spate yesterday, and they are getting fairly close to Caley Crescent again. I have been broken into a couple of times. Mrs Nolan mentions Tuggeranong. Her car was broken into last night. There are squads of people going around breaking into cars, I hear. So, Canberra is not the safe little place it used to be.
Mrs Grassby: What are you doing late at night, Bill?
MR STEFANIAK: Trying to get to sleep; I get very tired. The last area of any budget you want to cut is the ability of the police to conduct their operations appropriately. Some of the most efficient areas of policing have been under threat as a result of this budget. Accordingly, I move as an amendment to the question on Division 130, maintenance of law and order:
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