Page 356 - Week 02 - Tuesday, 7 March 2006
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MR SPEAKER: Wait a moment. That is not what occurred. Do not verbal me. That is a bad start. You interjected across the chamber, “Be honest.” Withdraw it.
Mr Smyth: I withdraw. I will check the Hansard.
MR HARGREAVES: Mr Pratt does not acknowledge the fact that we have had significant double-digit reductions in major crime in this town. He does not acknowledge that he has a role and a responsibility as a member of this place to inspire confidence, in fact, in the community and its police force. He does everything in his power to diminish the confidence the public have in the police force by coming up with absolutely, in my view, single incidents. He does not approach my office and say, “Is there something untoward about this that I, as shadow minister, might need to know?” No. He promptly goes to the media or comes into this place, in his usual form, in an ill-informed manner. I have to say that I make extreme apologies to the community out there that I am unable to put a policeman at the bottom of his driveway.
MR PRATT: Apart from not answering the facts of that last question, how can Canberra families have confidence in your government’s law-and-order policies when the police clearly do not have the resources to respond to gang violence?
MR HARGREAVES: Very simply, my answer to Mr Pratt’s supplementary, which was: “How can the public have confidence in the services of the police in this town?”, is—
Mr Pratt: The king of the mislead.
MR SPEAKER: Withdraw that, Mr Pratt.
Mr Pratt: I withdraw.
MR SPEAKER: Now, silence, please.
MR HARGREAVES: Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. My answer to Mr Pratt’s question, which is: “How can the public have confidence in the police when this government does not give the resources—
Mr Stefaniak: On a point of order, Mr Speaker: Mr Pratt quite clearly asked, “How can Canberra families have confidence in your government’s law-and-order policies when the police clearly do not have resources to respond to gang violence?” I can hardly see how Mr Hargreaves—
MR SPEAKER: Come to the point of order.
Mr Stefaniak: He is deliberately misleading the Assembly.
MR SPEAKER: Resume your seat. I will rule on your point of order. Come to the point of the question, Mr Hargreaves.
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