Page 332 - Week 02 - Tuesday, 1 March 1994
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To summarise quickly, Madam Speaker, the community safety and preventative policing, I consider, have been dealt with by this Government in a way that means real improvements for community safety. It is occurring in partnership with the community and it is occurring in a way which aims to involve all sectors of the community. Within that strategy, the police and citizens youth clubs have a role. They have enjoyed very good funding. In the light of current needs, they may from time to time have to change their focus. I would hope that they would not resist that. I would hope that they would always see their role as picking up the needs that exist in the community at the time, not focusing on what might have been needed 20 years ago. I believe that the police and citizens youth clubs are entirely capable of doing that. If you look at the police and citizens youth clubs within the whole spectrum of preventative policing and community safety, they have been well funded, they have been well supported by this Government, and they will continue to be.
MR STEVENSON (4.30): There have indeed been concerns in the community and in the police force about funding cuts. From the Chief Minister's comments, I thought we might expect that there would be some benefits in the budget for police.
Ms Follett: I am not going to tell you what is in the budget, you twit.
MR STEVENSON: Perhaps you could wait till I finish before you make your remarks.
Ms Follett: No; you never do.
MR STEVENSON: That is not true. I am concerned with the suggestion that the police and citizens youth clubs change the style of operation the Chief Minister talked about. What single area is there that they should do away with, where they should move with the times? Obviously, they can expand their activities; they are doing that, and that is what we should encourage them to do. To suggest that they should do away with some of their activities is simply an indication that someone does not know what they are doing.
This is one of the best places where we and the police can get involved in preventing crime. Police can set a wonderful example to young people, and others, as role models. There is no doubt that there are many areas where this happens. School lecturing is one that has been going on for a long time. There have been police trialled in some areas, almost staying in schools to work with the young people. I think that is a very interesting idea. I will get to the police and citizens youth clubs in more detail in a moment. Kenny Koala is a wonderful idea in community policing, getting communication between the police and the community, particularly young people, although many of us who are young at heart like Kenny Koala.
One thing that I do not believe has been mentioned today is the police exhibitions. We had one at the show over three days last weekend, and there have been others around Canberra. There was a very good one in the bottom level at Belconnen Mall some year or so ago, and there have been others. That is an excellent way to increase the exposure of police and the face-to-face contact between police and people in the community. If you have a police bike on show, obviously that would attract a lot of young people, and that is a beneficial thing. The Attorney-General mentioned the police on pushbikes. I think that
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