CRIME STATISTICS

Ms SIMMONS (Morialta) (14:13): My question is to the Minister for Police. Can the minister advise the house of the latest official South Australia Police crime statistics, and is he aware of any comments relating to those statistics?

The Hon. M.J. WRIGHT (Lee—Minister for Police, Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing) (14:13): I am pleased to announce that official South Australian police statistics show that for 2008-09 victim reported crime has fallen by 8 per cent compared to 2007-08. Since coming to office, the crime rate has fallen by a massive 32.7 per cent, after rising to record highs under the previous government. Quite simply, that means one in three crimes are no longer occurring and people are much safer in South Australia and less likely to become victims of crime than they were under the previous government. These statistics show that the biggest falls have been in the areas of robbery, down 24.5 per cent; serious assault, down 39.7 per cent—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. M.J. WRIGHT: —serious criminal trespass, shop, down 58.5 per cent; and theft, illegal use of motor vehicle, down 52.5 per cent. We as a government are extremely proud—

Mr PENGILLY: Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I refer to standing order 131. I cannot hear the minister's response over the noise of the Attorney-General.

The SPEAKER: I cannot hear the minister's response over the noise of members to my left.

The Hon. M.J. WRIGHT: We as a government are extremely proud of these figures. They demonstrate that our commitment to recruit record numbers of police is working. They demonstrate that, when properly supported by government, the dedicated men and women of the South Australian police force get results. Under this government, SAPOL's funding has increased by 79 per cent since the last Liberal budget. We have returned muscle to a police force that was starved of resources under the previous government. More police, more police stations, better resources, modern policing practices and tougher laws are making South Australia a safer place to live and raise a family.

While this government continues to focus on making South Australia safer, the opposition continues its campaign, trying to discredit the good work of our hardworking men and women in uniform. In a recent interview on the ABC, the Leader of the Opposition said:

This government says that crime has reduced under their watch, but the reality is that overall crime may have been reduced but the number of homicides and violent attacks has actually gone up.

The Leader of the Opposition is wrong. Since 2002 offences against the person or violent offences have fallen by 2.1 per cent: murder has fallen by 21.2 per cent; serious assaults by 39.7 per cent; assaults against police are down by 16.3 per cent; and robbery is down by 24.5 per cent. Last week, the shadow minister for police took the Liberal smear campaign to a new level. In a media release dated 20 October 2009, the Hon. David Ridgway said:

SA police crime statistics raise concerns about the manner in which crime is recorded in SA because they do not reflect the number of violent attacks that are regularly reported.

His remarks are not only an insult to the Commissioner of Police but to the thousands of men and women in uniform. To accuse our police of fiddling the books is an attack on the integrity of our Commissioner of Police. The assertion is without foundation and totally contrary to the facts.

The South Australian community can have full confidence in the way SAPOL manages its crime statistics. SA Police recognises that crime statistics are an integral part of maintaining community confidence. I am confident that procedures put in place by the commissioner with regard to the reporting and recording of crime could withstand the highest level of scrutiny.

The commissioner has this government's full support and condemns this baseless attack on his integrity and that of the South Australia Police by the Liberal Party. This kind of shoddy work on law and order is what we have come to expect from the Liberals. It demonstrates that they simply do not understand.

Mr VENNING: Point of order! The minister is debating the question.

The SPEAKER: Order! I think the Minister for Police has somewhat strayed into debate.