House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2011-06-23 Daily Xml

Contents

POLICE FUNDING

Mrs REDMOND (Heysen—Leader of the Opposition) (15:02): My question is to the Attorney-General. Given the high costs of continuing legal challenges to the anti-bikie laws, has the government had any discussions with SAPOL as to whether the limited resources available to government would be better spent on better resourcing our police rather than fighting court cases?

The Hon. J.R. RAU (Enfield—Deputy Premier, Attorney-General, Minister for Justice, Minister for Urban Development, Planning and the City of Adelaide, Minister for Tourism, Minister for Food Marketing) (15:02): I thank the honourable member very much for her question. I would like to read a statement to the parliament which I think really answers the question:

It's about time we asked ourselves a question: is it better to waste money in futile High Court challenges or is it better to get in, back into the parliament, make laws that are well within our...constitutional power and get on and fight organised crime?

The Hon. K.O. Foley: Who said that?

The Hon. J.R. RAU: Stephen Wade; he said it today!

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!