APY LANDS, COMMUNITY CONSTABLES

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Leader of the Opposition) (14:41): I have a further supplementary question. Can the minister please explain why we have the highest percentage of sworn officers behind desks and not out doing operational work?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, Minister for Forests, Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Tourism, Minister for the Status of Women) (14:41): My advice is that we have a high number of police out policing as well. We have a complex arrangement of responsibilities. The police commissioner takes responsibility in terms of operational matters and in terms of deciding who performs what responsibilities. It is an operational matter, so it is a matter for the police commissioner, but we are delivering the proof on the ground.

ABS statistics show that the crime rate in South Australia has fallen by over 35 per cent, so we must be doing something right, including a 3.5 per cent reduction in victim-reported crime. In 2009-10, the biggest falls in crime occurred, as I said, in crimes against people: murders down 23.1 per cent, attempted murders down 19.4 per cent, serious assaults down 10.8 per cent and assaults on police down 6.7 per cent. The crime rate has fallen to a point where in 2009-10 there were 134,144 offences committed, compared to 206,474 in 2001-02, so almost half of that when the Liberals were in power.

In terms of the sorts of decisions that the commissioner might be making about where he places his officers, the bottom line is that people are safer on our streets and crime rates are coming around in a number of serious areas. The proof is in the pudding. We are delivering on the ground.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!