Page 910 - Week 04 - Tuesday, 30 March 1993
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Then there is a further quote:
... every government in Australia - Liberal Party, Labor Party, and National Party in the Northern Territory - has faced and continues to face steadily consistent increases in rates of housebreaking.
I do support the view that that implied that our own ACT burglary rate stood favourably in comparison with the other States. It did not give me any enthusiasm that in fact our rates were better from the point of view of law enforcement. Then we have the Canberra Times article today which states that Canberra burglary rates are escalating.
It is unfortunate that the Government, when they are addressing these matters, Madam Speaker, generally opts out or cops out on the argument that if there are any problems in relation to any area of their responsibility - this is particularly so in terms of policing and crime - it suddenly becomes a community problem. Mr Connolly is on record on 24 October last year, as I am sure he will remember, when we had a look at break-in figures. What did Mr Connolly say about it? He was reported as saying that the high break-in figures are a community problem, not a police problem. The report continues:
Concerned by yesterday's high figures -
this was back in October, I would remind you -
he said the days when Canberra could be considered a country town and back doors could be left open were gone ...
We would all agree with that. The report went on:
Many Canberra homes had become soft targets -
goodness gracious! -
people should consider deadlocks more seriously - and those that had them should use them.
That is all very well, as a community problem, but it is also your responsibility, Minister, as the Minister for police, to ensure that the community do not have to turn their houses into fortresses.
Mr Connolly: Yes, I think you will see that I say that.
MR CORNWELL: You do have to address the problems that beset this Territory in relation to providing a sufficient police presence. I am very concerned, and you might like to take this matter on notice. Madam Speaker, in view of what was said during question time, I hesitate to raise these questions because I am fearful of being rebuked by the Attorney-General for using figures. They are not monthly figures, I grant you; they are six-monthly figures. That worries me because obviously there will be all sorts of criminals out there who will be noticing what I am saying and no doubt directing their attention to the areas that I do not refer to or the suburbs I do not refer to in what I am about to say. The fact is that the Canberra Times today said that Lyons had the worst result, followed by Turner, Monash, O'Connor and Narrabundah, in terms of burglaries.
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