House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2010-09-14 Daily Xml

Contents

POLICE ATTENDANCE PROCEDURE

Mrs REDMOND (Heysen—Leader of the Opposition) (14:59): Since I have not had any luck with asking the Premier, I will try the Minister for Police. Given that the minister is always saying that South Australia has record numbers of police on the beat, why was a woman, living alone and calling for help because of an attack at her house at night, ignored?

The Hon. M.J. WRIGHT (Lee—Minister for Police, Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing) (14:59): For the very reason that I have already outlined to the house. I have gone through this in a comprehensive ministerial statement and already answered three questions. I am happy to keep answering the opposition's questions, but I really can't—

Mr Williams interjecting:

The Hon. M.J. WRIGHT: Why don't you just listen? Your leader has asked a question.

The SPEAKER: Order! Deputy leader, listen!

The Hon. M.J. WRIGHT: Why don't you show some manners for a change? I really cannot reinvent the answer because I have already provided the answer to the leader. I know the leader wants to play games with this, and that is why they are in opposition.

The fact is that we do have record numbers of police. It is well known that we have record numbers of police, and it is well known, of course, that we have pledged and will deliver another 300 on top of the previous record numbers—which, by the year 2014, will see an additional 1,000 police from when we first came to office.

I have acknowledged that in regard to this particular incident the commissioner put on the public record yesterday that there was an error of judgment and for that, of course, we are very sorry. I have admitted and acknowledged that a police car should have been dispatched. That is not in argument. The very question asked by the Leader of the Opposition was answered in my ministerial statement, and I have answered it in response to the first three questions. You know what the answer is.