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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1995 Week 11 Hansard (14 December) . . Page.. 3166 ..

The Government is committed to ensuring that policing in the ACT is consistent with community expectations and Government priorities, that it is efficient and cost effective and that it encapsulates best practice in policing and draws on the broader experience and expertise derived from the national AFP. The Government believes that this commitment can only be strengthened by having available to it the services of a locally appointed and directly accountable ACT Police Commissioner.

Accountability to the Government implies a cooperative and coordinated approach involving all relevant government agencies and a consultative approach involving relevant community groups.

The Government will strive to ensure that policing arrangements for the ACT encapsulate all of these values and are the foundation for the ongoing delivery of efficient and effective police services by the AFP.

Before I deal with the particular recommendations of the Committee, I do wish to correct paragraph 3.2 of the report in which the Committee states that the running costs for ACT Community Policing have been reduced by 2% for the last three years in line with an ACT Government budget decision and that these cuts are to continue until 1996-97.

The cuts forecast in the 1994-95 forward estimates have not been implemented by this Government and the Government in fact made a commitment to maintain the current level of police resources.

Mr Speaker, this Government will ensure that sufficient resources are available for community policing and crime prevention in the ACT and that the ACT remains a safe community.

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