Page 319 - Week 02 - Tuesday, 1 March 1994
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There are seven Australian Federal Police positions presently provided within the police and citizens youth clubs of Canberra - at least, there were until recently. It is integral to the operation of those clubs that there be police involved in those activities. Those seven police - or, at least until recently, seven police - serve in important roles in police and citizens youth clubs. They are involved in Blue Light discos, they are involved in the operation of those clubs, and they are involved in youth programs. They are both a practical and a symbolic part of the police and citizens youth clubs. The presence of police in those clubs draws them closer to young people. It presents them as friends, as real people who are actually concerned about young people beyond merely bringing a heavy hand down on the shoulder of a young person when they have done something wrong. Police and citizens youth clubs are one of the few well-established avenues for police to mix directly with young people, especially at-risk young people.
The three branches of the police and citizens youth clubs in Canberra, I think, have proved their capacity to provide a forum in which that important interaction can occur. Indeed, the clubs have an active commitment from the Australian Federal Police. They are an important part of their strategy for making that contact with young people. I was therefore quite disturbed to discover that the ACT Government has made plans for two of those seven positions I referred to to be removed from the police and citizens youth clubs. That is an utterly shameful decision. It is a pity that more members of the Government were not showing some interest in this important issue.
Mrs Carnell: They do not care.
MR HUMPHRIES: Indeed, Madam Opposition Leader, they do not care.
Mr Kaine: Their attention demonstrates clearly their interest in this matter.
MR HUMPHRIES: I think that is exactly right, Mr Kaine. They have just about no interest in this important matter. Mr Deputy Speaker, the loss of those two positions will have a serious impact on the capacity of the clubs to do their job. This is a question not just of making sure that there are police to interface with those young people, but of making sure that those clubs, with their many civilian volunteers, can do their job at all.
The club believes that certain activities, as a result of this decision, are at risk. There were 34 Blue Light discos in 1993; undoubtedly, if this cut goes ahead those clubs will have to reduce the number of Blue Light discos. A reduction in the number of opening hours of the three branches in Turner, Narrabundah and Tuggeranong will certainly be on the cards if this goes ahead. There will be an end to plans for expansion and redeployment of important facilities of the clubs. For example, the club has no significant presence in Belconnen at the present time. It is intended that the club should be able to do something about making that presence in Belconnen a reality. That will not be possible - an indication perhaps of the low level of concern felt by members of this Government for the people of Belconnen. It also puts a serious cloud over the prospects of the ACT being host, as was planned, of a national conference on police and citizens youth clubs in October.
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