Page 4957 - Week 16 - Tuesday, 26 November 1991
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Since Colin Winchester's death, one constable has been killed in a car accident. Luckily, it is a fairly infrequent occurrence; but it does occur more in that profession than in any other emergency service or public service area in the ACT.
It is important for us to realise that the police and the service they provide are different from the rest of the public service. The public expects a very high level of service from them and they give it. The public is rightly concerned when police are unable to give that service. The police themselves are very concerned when they are unable to give that service, because they are, almost to a man and woman, dedicated professionals who want to provide a good service to the Territory. It is something that this Government and any future government have to watch very carefully in terms of expenditure.
There are some big problems with this item of the budget. This Government and whatever government replaces it in February will see further blow-out problems because further emergencies will crop up. Belatedly, Mr Connolly has had to react, but at least he did react, to the problems at Aidex. Other problems will crop up, although not necessarily of that type, that will take up a lot of police and will necessitate the expenditure of money. If this spate of break and enters continues, if you have not still got your anti-theft squad you might need to reactivate it. That was a particularly successful group of police officers that did a good job at the time it existed.
I commend my amendment to the Assembly. I think it is important that this Assembly make quite clear to the Government that it is not particularly happy with the way the Government has dealt with the police budget. I know that we live in difficult economic times. The police, as part of the community, realise that and they are prepared to take fair and reasonable cuts across the board. In many cases that has not happened. It should happen. Some steps have been taken - no thanks to this Government - through the efforts of the police, supported by members of the Opposition, to ensure that that occurs. It is up to this Government, in the remainder of its term, to ensure that it administers this part of the budget efficiently and that the police have the necessary resources to protect the community and do their job properly, and that they receive the full support they so richly deserve from this Government and this Assembly.
MR MOORE (9.48): Mr Speaker, I think this amendment is quite extraordinary. Just recently, following a series of questions from me in the Estimates Committee hearings and further pursuit of Mr Connolly for some time, we found that there was a doubling up in the fire services and the police rescue services to the extent of $1.3m. In fact, it is more than that; but, if one allows for salaries to be retained by police, it is of the order of $1.3m. I think it is one of the great ironies that Mr Stefaniak has become
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