House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2013-06-20 Daily Xml

Contents

POLICE PORTABLE DATA TERMINALS

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN (Stuart) (14:44): I have a supplementary question. Given that the minister has told us about the trial that is underway, does he stand by that election commitment: will they all be installed by the next election?

The Hon. M.F. O'BRIEN (Napier—Minister for Finance, Minister for Police, Minister for Correctional Services, Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Road Safety) (14:45): My understanding is that they will, that they have been budgeted for. The member asked a question of me yesterday on portable fingerprint scanners, and we are going through a similar process with the portable scanners.

Most importantly, the trial will determine whether the devices we are trialling with the portable fingerprint scanners, which we have on loan from New South Wales Police, are ultimately able to interface with a national automated fingerprint identification system via the SAPOL data network. Both the portable data terminals and the portable fingerprint scanners are quite technologically advanced and link not only with the local SAPOL system but then back into the national system.

We have to get it right, and I think that the member for Stuart would concur that we do have to get it right. We do not want to commit substantial amounts of taxpayers' money in technology that will not interface nationally. It has been budgeted for, and my expectation is that we will deliver on our election promises.

Mr Williams interjecting:

The SPEAKER: I call the member for MacKillop to order. The member for Stuart.