Page 3759 - Week 12 - Wednesday, 29 October 2014
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I am pleased to say, however, that overall the level of property-related crime in Weston Creek has continued to decline compared to the last five years. We are seeing overall a significant reduction in the level of property-related crime. The most recent data is available on the ACT Policing website. Clearly, these particular attacks are despicable. They have caused significant concern and damage. The police are treating them seriously and they continue to investigate.
MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Mrs Jones.
MRS JONES: Minister, what actions have police taken to identify, follow up and deal with the perpetrators?
MR CORBELL: The police are undertaking their normal investigative procedures to try to ascertain who is responsible and bring them before the courts.
MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Mr Hanson.
MR HANSON: Minister, do the police have sufficient powers and resources to deal with this issue in Weston Creek?
MR CORBELL: I have every reason to believe they do.
MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Dr Bourke.
DR BOURKE: Minister, why has property crime in Weston Creek been decreasing over the last five years?
MR CORBELL: I thank Dr Bourke for the supplementary. It is the case that Weston Creek has seen a significant downward trend in property damage. The latest crime statistics from ACT Policing confirm a 40 per cent reduction in property damage reports in Weston Creek for the 2013-14 financial year compared to the year before. So we have seen significant reductions in the level of property damage related reports to police.
This is, I think, overall, thanks to the very dedicated working of ACT Policing in focusing on property crime related matters. The police continue to have a dedicated property crime related task force, which is using a range of responses, including sophisticated intelligence gathering, to target those people that they know are associated with property crime, in particular break and enter, and theft. It is one of the reasons why we are at a 10-year low in property crime across the city, why we have seen very significant reductions in break and enter and burglary and why we have seen very significant reductions in private motor vehicle theft.
Clearly these incidents in Weston Creek are of concern, but they are not indicative of a broader trend. Indeed, as I said earlier, there has been a 40 per cent reduction in property crime related matters and indeed property damage related matters in Weston Creek over the past 12 months.
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