PUBLIC TRANSPORT SECURITY

The Hon. S.W. KEY (Ashford) (15:09): My question is directed to the Minister for Police. Minister, can you inform the house how the government has delivered on its election promise to improve security on public transport?

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE (Wright—Minister for Police, Minister for Correctional Services, Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Road Safety, Minister for Multicultural Affairs) (15:09): I thank the member for Ashford for her question. At the 2010 election, Labor promised protective security officers on public transport who would have more powers than private security guards or passenger service assistants. Following consultations with the Commissioner of Police, the government went one step further and boosted the ranks of SAPOL's Transit Services Branch with additional sworn police officers.

Last Tuesday, along with Assistant Commissioner Bronwyn Killmier, I welcomed 28 new officers. They have been made available by the additional recruitment in the past year. We now have 102 sworn police officers working across our public transport system to keep commuters and public property safe. They will continue to work closely with staff from the Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure to detect offenders, investigate crime and prosecute people who show disregard for staff or fellow passengers. The expanded Transit Services Branch will include:

patrol teams, tactical teams and an investigations unit;

a new shift from 2pm to 10.30pm when most offences occur;

police on duty all night on Friday and Saturday nights;

monitoring of taxi ranks, buses, trams and trains;

trail bikes patrolling rail corridors where cars cannot access but vandals often do;

large-screen TVs in the Adelaide Railway Station, and more to come in other interchanges, to seek public assistance in the identification of offenders; and

a Neighbourhood Watch-style Facebook page to interact with commuters while they are on the move.

Around 250,000 trips are taken every day by 100,000 people on our public transport system. In 2009, 216 assaults were reported on public transport, and this reduced by one-third in the last two years. We have seen a significant reduction in victim-reported crime on public transport and in the wider community. This Labor government is committed to maintaining the pressure on antisocial behaviour to make our community safer for everyone.