NEIGHBOURHOOD POLICING

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN (Stuart) (15:10): My question is again for the Premier. I did hear him when he said he does not comment on the budget process or budget bids, but does the Premier agree with police commissioner Gary Burns that additional funding for the five new neighbourhood policing teams is necessary to achieve the government's Safe Communities, Healthy Neighbourhoods target?

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL (Cheltenham—Premier, Treasurer, Minister for State Development, Minister for the Public Sector, Minister for the Arts) (15:11): Well, what I do agree with is that we have had an almost 40 per cent reduction in victim reported crime here in South Australia over the period since the government's election. I also agree with the proposition that we have more operational police per capita than any other state in the mainland. I also agree with the proposition that just about every piece of significant infrastructure that has been asked for by the police, including new police headquarters, a new training academy, and a countless number of police stations, has been delivered to the police force in South Australia. We have an excellent police force.

The Hon. I.F. EVANS: Point of order: the question was not about that. The question was whether he agreed with the police commissioner—

The SPEAKER: Oh, no! Actually, I listened to that question very carefully. There is no merit in the point of order. I call the Premier. Has the Premier finished?

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: Yes.