Assaults on Police

Mr TELFER (Flinders) (14:27): My question is to the Minister for Police. What is the minister doing in response to concerns about the number of assaults on police? With your leave, sir, and that of the house, I will explain.

Leave granted.

Mr TELFER: At a parliamentary committee yesterday, the police commissioner admitted that police assault numbers were on the rise. Police statistics tell us that assaults on police officers were up 32 per cent when compared with the year before.

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS (Cheltenham—Minister for Police, Emergency Services and Correctional Services) (14:27): I firstly note the member's question, and particularly some of the matters raised by the police commissioner yesterday. Can I say from the outset that I think that I can say this on behalf of every person in this place: an assault on a police officer, an assault on a frontline first responder, is disgusting. It is obnoxious. Often, when we contemplate public policy—as those of us on this side and those on the other side of the chamber have at various times—we look to various factors, we look to pull levers, we look to impact and effect change.

But if I am honest, this is one of those areas where, having spoken to the police commissioner, having spoken to senior police, having spoken to many frontline police and, in fact, having spoken to good mates of mine who are police, I can't wrestle with an easy outcome or an easy explanation here about why at any given time someone would see fit to spit on a member of our police or to assault in another way a member of our police. It is amongst the most outrageous things that we can see. It is no surprise to anyone in this chamber that I have a deep commitment to the notion and the philosophy that people should go to work, they should be safe at work, and they should come home safe from work.

What we simply will not excuse as lawmakers, as members of the government or as good, sound, reasonable-minded members of our community is to excuse under any circumstances one individual choosing to assault a member of our police. We have very, very strict laws when it comes to penalties attached to those who choose to assault frontline workers. I am also very pleased to be a part of a government that extended those additional penalties to ensure that retail workers were also treated in a similar way to never excuse that type of behaviour.

Mr Telfer: It's about assaults on police officers.

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: The member interjects—I think an assault on any worker is disgusting and if there is an interjection—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: Whilst we have very strict laws—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: If you just give us a second and listen to the answer; this is a serious matter.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Flinders is warned!

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: There are very serious penalties attached to assaulting a police officer. It is clear that an individual who chooses, either of their own free will, impacted by alcohol or other drugs, impacted by, at times, acute crises with mental health—in that outcome, if there is an assault of a police officer, they may not be deterred by these very strict laws that we have here in South Australia. It is my very strong expectation as minister that the courts will apply these laws in a prudent way to send a message to police and their families that police are not fair game when it comes to being at the hands of aggressive members of our community. But, fundamentally, I can't get inside the head of a moron who chooses to spit on one of our hardworking police. It's obnoxious and we should never accept it.