Page 637 - Week 02 - Thursday, 20 March 2014
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particularly in the leisure sector, which I understand increased by about 40 per cent as a result of that strong centenary year program. We continue to build on our event calendar, both in terms of ACT government supported events and in terms of encouraging new private sector organised events to continue to add to our strong annual event calendar.
MADAM SPEAKER: Supplementary question, Mrs Jones.
MRS JONES: Minister, in surveying the popularity of such events, will you ask Facebook to give you the option for posts regarding Skywhale for a dislike button?
MR BARR: That question in itself speaks volumes about the seriousness with which the Canberra Liberals take the events sector and the tourism sector, a sector that contributes $1.65 billion to the territory economy and employs more than 16,000 Canberrans. We will get on with the business of delivering high quality events for this city, continuing to build on our quality program. We look forward in 2015 to hosting both the Asian Cup football and the Cricket World Cup, both events significant in their respective sports and most likely the largest events in those respective sports in the Southern Hemisphere, if not the world, in 2015.
Crime—car tyre slashing
MRS JONES: My question is to the Minister for Police and Emergency Services. Minister, last year I asked you about the tyre slasher who has roamed Narrabundah and Griffith for well over a decade causing damage to the car tyres of residents. With hundreds of households having been the victims of this crime and many, many thousands of dollars of damage having been caused, you stated that sufficient resources have been allocated to resolve this crime. If sufficient resources have been allocated, why are the residents of Narrabundah and Griffith still being terrorised by the tyre slasher?
MR CORBELL: I understand the concern that Mrs Jones echoes on behalf of residents who have had their tyres slashed by this person or persons unknown. I have sought detailed advice from the police in relation to their investigation into these crimes, and their advice to me is very clear: they have devoted considerable resources to try and identify and secure sufficient evidence so as to be in a position to charge a person with this offence. They have not yet been able to secure that evidence to the standard required, but I am confident that they continue to take this matter seriously and that they continue to investigate it with a view to securing the necessary standard of evidence expected for a criminal prosecution.
Simply because a criminal is not apprehended does not automatically mean that insufficient resources are being allocated to the investigation. In fact, that is a false connection. These matters are sometimes complicated and difficult, and this particular series of offences falls into that category. I have every confidence that police have taken all appropriate steps to try and ascertain the identity of the individual or individuals concerned, obtain the evidence they need to obtain to charge a person with offences and to bring them before the courts.
MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Mrs Jones.
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