Police Response Times

The Hon. T.J. STEPHENS (15:20): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Police questions about non-peaceful protests.

Leave granted.

The Hon. T.J. STEPHENS: Honourable members would be aware of the incident on Friday in which acts of violence and vandalism occurred in the electorate office of Cory Bernardi, Senator for South Australia. The actions of this group of students, members of the Socialist Alternative and related clubs and political parties, forced staff at the office to seek safety and to press a duress button which is used to initiate an immediate response by the Australian Federal Police.

The AFP then requested a response by local South Australian police, who did not attend the scene until some time after the initial call. Once at the scene, South Australian police apparently questioned those responsible. No arrests were made despite many offenders being clearly identified and sighted by both media and police. My questions are:

1. Does the minister believe this is an adequate response by SAPOL to the presumably urgent requests made by the AFP?

2. Why were no arrests made or charges laid on those perpetrators identified at the scene?

3. Is the minister happy to see this sort of incident go unpunished?

4. Will the minister seek clarification from the police commissioner as to why this incident seemed to generate very little urgency? Was it an issue of lack of staff availability? If so, why?

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS (Minister for Police, Minister for Correctional Services, Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Road Safety) (15:21): Thank you to the Hon. Mr Stephens for his important question. Let me say from the outset that I was appalled, absolutely appalled, at the activities that took place last week in Mr Bernardi's electorate office. Although there would be a range of issues that I would not agree with Mr Bernardi on politically, we operate—

The Hon. J.S.L. Dawkins: He's actually a senator.

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS: —Senator Bernardi—while there are a number of issues I may not agree with Mr Bernardi on, Senator Bernardi, that behaviour is totally unacceptable. We are very privileged to be living in a free country, in a country that values the principles around democracy and the freedom of speech.

Senator Bernardi is an advocate for his views and a different constituency within the electorate, and he should be able to articulate and advocate his views on a whole range of issues free of intimidation or protests that are of a nature that vandalise the property of the Australian taxpayer. His staff, very importantly, should also be able to work for Senator Bernardi in an environment that is safe and free from the persecution of those people who violated their safety by running into the office the way they did and vandalising.

I will seek a briefing from the police commissioner and SAPOL as to the activity that they have undertaken. It would certainly be my expectation that SAPOL would treat this matter as seriously as I think the South Australian public would reasonably expect. We do not want to have a situation where lawlessness somehow starts defining our political discourse. I think all members of our community regardless of their views should have the opportunity to articulate their position on a whole range of issues free of feeling unsafe, free from vandalism. I appreciate the tone of the Hon. Mr Stephens' question.

As I said, it would be my expectation that SAPOL would deal with this or treat this matter just as seriously as we would have expected had it been any other political office, or any other workplace for that matter, that suffered from a protest of this nature. I am more than happy to seek a briefing from SAPOL and share the outcome of that briefing, if it is appropriate to do so, with the public at large and certainly the Hon. Mr Stephens.