Youth Crime

Mr BATTY (Bragg) (14:47): My question is again to the Minister for Police. What action, if any, is the minister taking to address any concerns raised by South Australia Police in relation to youth crime? With your leave, sir, and that of the house, I will explain.

Leave granted.

Mr BATTY: On 23 October, The Advertiser reported that a SAPOL assistant commissioner said:

…police [are] frustrated that young alleged offenders continued to offend after being released on bail by the Youth Court.

He said police saw numerous examples of multiple offences being committed by individuals who have been released on bail on numerous occasions.

The Hon. D.R. CREGAN (Kavel—Minister for Police, Emergency Services and Correctional Services, Special Minister of State) (14:48): I appreciate this very important question. I think it invites me to reflect on certain matters which I just introduced to the house, and that was to emphasise the significant focus that this government has had in recent times on ensuring that we are addressing the adults who might be encouraging young offenders to participate in crime and who have, over a period of time, used that agency arrangement in order to mask their offending. That will not be tolerated.

As well, of course, there has been a significant focus on knife crime. That will not be tolerated. You will also be aware that the Attorney-General in the other place has carriage of an effort to ensure that we are addressing post and boast-type behaviours where young people seeking a degree of notoriety might engage in criminal activity, record that activity and try to introduce images of that activity onto social media platforms.

There is a substantial policy development pipeline when it comes to ensuring that we are addressing the causes of crime and that we are focused on the type of offending that might be emerging in our community. At the same time, we are investing significant resources so that South Australia Police can continue their law enforcement activities and can focus on those who are engaging in crime, including young people in our community.

As the Premier has earlier indicated, we do keep a very close eye on crime statistics, and it is important that this debate occurs on a fact-based analysis of the circumstances that we face in South Australia, not on the type of anecdotal fearmongering that the shadow minister occasionally engages in, and engages in completely rent free—as if the facts don't matter, as if there isn't a wider context with respect to these matters.

Let me emphasise that in terms of the support to South Australia Police it is very significant. We have emphasised to the house today the additional investment that is being made in recruitment. We have emphasised to the house today the additional investment that is being made in a whole range of other initiatives to support South Australia Police. We have indicated that there has been some additional and important thinking from this government on how it is that we might support our sworn police officers, including, of course, the desire to achieve 189 additional PSOs. So it is not the case that there isn't significant focus both in terms of a legislative and policy agenda and also to ensure that very substantial investment is being made in our pre-eminent law enforcement agency in South Australia.