Page 2721 - Week 09 - Tuesday, 16 August 2005
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number of people concerning a litany of illegal activity by riders on high-powered trail bikes along bike paths and the lack of a police response in the Melba/Flynn/Spence area. Furthermore, it was distressing for the rest of us to hear residents reporting on radio this morning that police had informed them that they cannot respond to such calls due to a lack of police and resources.
Minister, do I need to remind you that I wrote to you in May and July about exactly the same issue and you told me that police were actively aware of illegal motorbike activity in those areas? Mr Speaker, I seek leave to table my letters to the minister and his responses to me.
Leave granted.
MR PRATT: I table the following documents:
Illegal riding of trailbikes/motorbikes on footpaths in Melba—Copies of—
Letters from Mr Pratt MLA to Mr Hargreaves MLA (Minister for Police and Emergency Services), dated—
30 May 2005.
19 July 2005.
Letters from Mr Hargreaves MLA (Minister for Police and Emergency Services) to Mr Pratt MLA, dated—
11 June 2005.
3 August 2005.
Minister, why did you feign alarm this morning when you should know full well the circumstances of this issue and know full well that Belconnen police station is straining to cope with a lack of numbers to look after this area and Gungahlin?
MR HARGREAVES: Mr Pratt has just tabled the letters that I received from him in May and June of this year. I believe that the Department of Urban Services has actually been out to speak to a constituent in Spence who raised the concerns that Mr Pratt further raised with me. Mr Pratt, I did not feign alarm.
Mr Pratt: He has been in to see them.
MR HARGREAVES: Mr Pratt interjects. Either he wants to listen to the answer or he does not. I am happy to stand here while he makes up his mind.
Mr Pratt: I am all ears.
MR HARGREAVES: Good. Mr Speaker, I was alarmed to hear one person indicate on radio that there was what appeared to be a real issue at Kaleen/Spence/Flynn; so I undertook also on that program, which Mr Pratt failed to reveal, to find out a bit more about what is going on. The information I have received from the police indicates that they have received complaints and they included the areas of concern in their suburban ownership program. This program ensures that identified hot spots are actually identified to traffic operations in that area and traffic officers actively police that area and take the action necessary to resolve the problems. In other words, they receive priority attention.
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