Police Stations

Mr GARDNER (Morialta) (15:18): My question is to the Attorney-General. Does the Attorney-General believe that crime will rise as a result of closing police stations?

The Hon. J.R. RAU (Enfield—Deputy Premier, Attorney-General, Minister for Justice Reform, Minister for Planning, Minister for Housing and Urban Development, Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for Child Protection Reform) (15:19): It's a very, very general, almost philosophical proposition. It's the sort of proposition one would expect to get in debating, where three people would be asked to say, yes, it will get worse, and three people will be asked to say, no, it won't.

An honourable member: What do you say?

The Hon. J.R. RAU: I say, 'One hears many things, my Lord. Whether the truth is amongst them is difficult to say.' I don't know. It would all have to be in context. If you had a police station close in a particular place where there was a big crime issue and there were no other steps put in place, obviously that might have an adverse implication. To answer a question like that in the abstract is impossible.