Crime Prevention

Ms COOK (Fisher) (14:26): Thank you, Mr Speaker. My question is for the Attorney-General. How is this government helping to reduce crime and vandalism in our community?

Mr Marshall interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The leader will leave the house for the remainder of question time under the sessional order.

The honourable Leader of the Opposition having withdrawn from the chamber:

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The Premier, the Minister for Health and the Minister for Agriculture are called to order. Deputy Premier.

The Hon. J.R. RAU (Enfield—Deputy Premier, Attorney-General, Minister for Justice Reform, Minister for Planning, Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for Child Protection Reform, Minister for the Public Sector, Minister for Consumer and Business Services, Minister for the City of Adelaide) (14:27): I was just waiting for them to quiet down a bit, Mr Speaker, that was all. I thank the honourable member for her question. This is actually a very important issue.

Dr McFetridge: You're right. Ask them down at Glenelg; it's very important.

The SPEAKER: The member for Morphett is called to order.

The Hon. J.R. RAU: In this answer, I might be able to help the member for Morphett with issues relating to safety in Glenelg.

The Hon. T.R. Kenyon interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Newland is called to order.

The Hon. J.R. RAU: The government is working with councils to create safer communities through the installation of CC television. These cameras deter and respond to incidents of crime. The government has awarded funding to six councils as part of the second round of the $2 million CCTV grants program. CCTV cameras are important as they have the capacity to deter crime to intervene where necessary and, importantly, to capture evidence. Successful projects include a CCTV system at the St Kilda Avenue playground to monitor the safety and protection of vulnerable persons, the local community and what is a state tourism—

The Hon. L.A. Vlahos interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The Minister for Disabilities is called to order.

The Hon. J.R. RAU: She is very supportive of that project, Mr Speaker. I think she has quite a longstanding interest.

The SPEAKER: If her remarks were confined to 'hear, hear' then she wouldn't have been called to order.

The Hon. J.R. RAU: Also, there's more. There are also three CCTV cameras within the Playford Alive town park to address vandalism; a network upgrade in Port Lincoln that will allow police officers on patrol to view incidents in real time via personal electronic devices; 20 cameras at Minkarra Park, providing 360º coverage of the park with the recording of high resolution images to assist police in identifying and prosecuting offenders; and an upgrade of the surveillance system along the Mannum main street, an increasingly popular destination for large groups of people. All local councils—and this is important for the member for Morphett and his friends at Glenelg—–are eligible to apply for a grant, and I encourage councils to apply for the next round of funding later this year.