Page 2666 - Week 09 - Wednesday, 25 August 1993
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As a result of that we have had some 108 persons charged with over 550 offences, and some $91,000 worth of property has been recovered. Members may have seen isolated media reports of quite successful operations. An operation in Tuggeranong which concluded a month or so ago resulted in a quite large quantity of property being recovered and some 22 persons being charged with 186 offences. That was typical of this type of operation. It involved the younger members of the Australian Federal Police attached to Tuggeranong being taken off their normal duties and assigned to go out in the streets, use their wits, and try to detect housebreaking. I happened to be at the Erindale station in the course of ordinary briefings and visits the evening before the Tuggeranong police executed their major warrants which resulted in the detection of quite a lot of stolen property, and it was very pleasing to see the marked enthusiasm and eagerness that the young police had about this style of policing. It has been remarkably successful.
In the city we have had 18 persons charged with 106 offences and $51,000 worth of property recovered. In Belconnen, in a very short period, between 1 and 23 August - only some three weeks - eight persons were charged with 104 offences and $8,000 worth of property was recovered. In Woden some 50 persons were charged with 154 offences. In Tuggeranong some 22 persons were charged with 186 offences, and some $32,000 worth of property and 25 vehicles were recovered as a result of the Tuggeranong operation alone. In total, 108 persons were charged with 550 offences and $91,000 worth of property was recovered.
I think a very strong signal is being sent that housebreaking is not an offence that will never be detected; it is not an offence that will never result in people being charged and brought before the courts. The police are very sensibly moving away from merely reactive policing, whereby a crime report is taken and that is the end of the matter, to proactive policing out on the streets, with remarkably encouraging results.
Chief Minister's Visit to Japan
MR HUMPHRIES: My question is addressed to the Chief Minister. I refer the Chief Minister to her confirmation yesterday that her 13-day trip to Japan in October will cost the ACT taxpayer $180,000 or thereabouts. I also refer to newspaper accounts today which claim that a justification for the cost is that Japan is expensive. Is the Chief Minister aware that Senator Peter Cook, at the time the Federal Minister for Industrial Relations, in January this year went on a 17-day trip to Japan, Canada and the United States of America, accompanied by advisers and staff, at a total cost to the taxpayer of $73,090? Is there some reason why Japan is more expensive for the ACT Chief Minister than for the Federal Minister for Industrial Relations? In the face of these facts, can the Chief Minister still claim that her trip is value for money?
MS FOLLETT: Madam Speaker, I have said in answer to this question previously that the precise costs are not yet finalised. That is point No. 1. I would also like to comment that in neither of the two cases that the Opposition have cited - that of Senator Richardson and now Peter Cook - were those people and their parties in Japan for the entire duration. I think it is well known that Japan is an expensive place to visit. But there is another difference, Madam Speaker, and that is that this is a government delegation. It is not a visit by one Minister; it is a government business delegation.
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