House of Assembly Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1) 55 1 Parliament of South Australia House of Assembly published Question Time South Australia Police Numbers South Australia Police Numbers Mr BATTY House of Assembly Bragg South Australia Police Numbers Mr BATTY (Bragg) (14:53): My question is to the Minister for Police. Does South Australia have a shortfall of police officers, and if so, is that shortfall causing crime to rise in Adelaide's suburbs? With your leave, sir, and that of the house, I will explain. Leave granted. Mr BATTY House of Assembly Bragg Mr BATTY: The Advertiser's front page this week referred to 'streets of fear' in our suburbs. It reported that crimes to the person were up by more than a quarter in Gawler, Elizabeth South, Dry Creek and Regency Park in 2023-24 compared with the year before. The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS House of Assembly West Torrens Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Minister for Energy and Mining The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Point of order. Standing orders are clear from the House of Commons: you cannot ask a minister to verify media reports. The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: I will answer the minister, if you can just take your seat. The minister is not being asked to verify the media reports: the media report quotes are being provided as background to the question. In fact, there were two questions, I think, within the question. So I will not uphold that point of order. Member for Bragg, continue with your question. Mr BATTY House of Assembly Bragg Mr BATTY: I have concluded. The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: You have finished it? Minister, did you hear all of that? The Hon. D.R. CREGAN House of Assembly Kavel Minister for Police, Emergency Services and Correctional Services Special Minister of State The Hon. D.R. CREGAN: I would be so grateful if the member for Bragg might put the question to me again. Mr BATTY House of Assembly Bragg Mr BATTY: Does South Australia have a shortfall of police officers and, if so, is that shortfall causing crime to rise in Adelaide's suburbs? With leave, I will once again refer to The Advertiser's 'streets of fear' front page. The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Leave has already been granted, member for Bragg. Mr BATTY House of Assembly Bragg Mr BATTY: The Advertiser's front page this week referred to 'streets of fear' in our suburbs. It reported that crimes to the person were up by more than a quarter in Gawler, Elizabeth South, Dry Creek and Regency Park in 2023-24 compared with the year before. The Hon. D.R. CREGAN House of Assembly Kavel Minister for Police, Emergency Services and Correctional Services Special Minister of State The Hon. D.R. CREGAN (Kavel—Minister for Police, Emergency Services and Correctional Services, Special Minister of State) (14:55): I appreciate the question from the member for Bragg. I make a number of observations first in relation to certain offences, including certain offences that have occurred in relation to some of the suburbs that have been mentioned. It is important to emphasise that in relation to robbery offences, for example, there has been a 21 per cent decrease on the previous 12 months in relation to that crime. In terms of theft from motor vehicles, there has been a 17 per cent decrease. In terms of illegal use, an 8 per cent decrease, and in terms of sexual assault as well. There was also a reduction in serious criminal trespass relating to house break-ins and home invasions, highlighting how police operations—for example, Operation Mandrake—are cracking down on crime. I think it is important to observe that, from a circular statistical perspective, there is a reversion to the mean after COVID. There has been a return to normal activity across our community. Of course, nobody in the government accepts for a moment any crime committed in our state. We are prepared to focus very closely on these issues, but the opposition invites me— Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Member for Bragg! The Hon. D.R. CREGAN House of Assembly Kavel Minister for Police, Emergency Services and Correctional Services Special Minister of State The Hon. D.R. CREGAN: The opposition invites me to give a perspective in relation to certain offences. I am advised that local police are working closely with community leaders, schools and various government and non-government agencies to prevent and reduce crime in some of the localities that have been mentioned, ensuring community safety. It is also right to say that South Australia Police provide a proactive and visible presence in these areas, focusing on crime prevention as well as responding to incidents. Their role includes monitoring repeat offenders and working closely with families and young people to divert them from criminal activity. In terms of the shortfall in officers that South Australia Police is experiencing, this is a government that has been absolutely up-front about the need to invest further moneys into ensuring that we have a recruitment pipeline that is supporting South Australia Police. As I have said previously in this place, it would have been— Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Member for Bragg, no-one is going to hear your next question if you are asking it from the refreshment room. Listen to the answer in silence. The Hon. D.R. CREGAN House of Assembly Kavel Minister for Police, Emergency Services and Correctional Services Special Minister of State The Hon. D.R. CREGAN: It would have been obvious to any member of the previous government's cabinet that there needed to be substantial additional investment to support South Australia Police and to support South Australia Police recruitment. Let me provide this advice to the house: nothing was done, absolutely nothing. Now, of course, this government is ensuring that there is additional focus on these issues. Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Member for Florey, you can head to the refreshment room until the end of question time. The honourable member for Florey having withdrawn from the chamber: The Hon. D.R. CREGAN House of Assembly Kavel Minister for Police, Emergency Services and Correctional Services Special Minister of State The Hon. D.R. CREGAN: It is important for me to emphasise that more than $80 million is being invested to recruit, of course, additional police security officers, more than $12 million for recruitment overall. The second stream of recruitment is now online. We have additional officers supporting us, arriving from overseas—15 officers. We have full employment in our state, the first time in my lifetime, and that does make employment— Members interjecting: The Hon. D.R. CREGAN House of Assembly Kavel Minister for Police, Emergency Services and Correctional Services Special Minister of State The Hon. D.R. CREGAN: Well, it can make it challenging.