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- 28 March 2006
Central Coast Policing
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Page: 21566
Mr CHRIS HARTCHER (Gosford) [5.09 p.m.]: Today I detail the latest crime statistics from the Central Coast and ask the Minister for the Central Coast to take more of an interest in reducing crime and increasing police numbers on the Central Coast. Kincumber police station was opened in 1996 with great fanfare by the then Minister for Police and Premier, Bob Carr. Yet in 2000 the Coalition revealed that the station, built at a cost of $1.4 million, had only ever been manned by a lone police officer without a patrol car or a gun, even though the station was built to accommodate 14 officers.
In 2002 the Coalition revealed the terrible story of two young girls, both eight years old. They had mistakenly caught the wrong bus and were forced to get off at the shopping centre in Kincumber before the bus continued in the wrong direction. They wanted to get home and had been told by their parents—all caring parents tell their children this—that if they were in trouble they could contact the police. The girls went to Kincumber police station for help but when they arrived they found a sign on the door and a doorbell. The sign told them that the station was unmanned and that they could ring the bell for police attention. They rang the bell but were told by police in Gosford that all officers were busy and did not have time to come out and see them. The girls tried to walk home and were eventually seen in the darkness by one of their class teachers walking alone along Avoca Drive, which has no footpaths. Their teacher took them home. This is the attitude that the Government has to policing on the Central Coast.
Terrigal police station—a major police station in a major tourist area—now operates only from 9.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. This is despite the fact that there have been spates of violent incidents in Terrigal after dark. Terrigal is a known nightspot. In fact, Terrigal is so well known as a nightspot that police moved in and placed a curfew on local venues, pubs, bars and clubs to stop them from accepting any new patrons after midnight. The Government is happy to restrict businesses from taking on any new patrons after midnight, but when the revellers are turned away the police are no longer in Terrigal to make sure everything is under control. It is a sad situation indicative of this Government's attitude to crime reduction and policing. The Government wants to force fewer police to do more work without the use of suburban police stations. It is quite happy to see police packed into dilapidated mega stations—and the results speak for themselves.
Since 1995 individual crimes have been placed into categories for the purpose of producing crime statistics. There are 24 categories—and one should bear in mind that these are the Government's figures. Of the 24 categories, 16 saw increases. Crime rose in 16 out of 24 separate categories. Most significant are increases in the areas considered "street crime"—that is, medium-level street crimes, assaults and minor drug crimes. These are the sorts of crimes that detract from the overall safety of residents. In 1995 there were 1,512 assaults on the Central Coast. In 2004—the most recent year for which a complete set of figures is available—there were 3,295 assaults, which is an increase of 117 per cent. In 1995 there were 17 robberies with weapons other than a firearm on the Central Coast. In 2004 there were 45, which is an increase of 164 per cent. There was a 38.5 per cent increase in robberies with firearms.
In 1995 there were 1,446 motor vehicle break-ins on the Central Coast. In 2004 there were 2,110, which is an increase of 45.9 per cent. In 1995 there were 2,649 cases of malicious damage to property—otherwise known as vandalism—on the Central Coast. In 2004 there were 5,562, which is a massive increase of 110 per cent. The list goes on. There was a 77 per cent increase in narcotics possession, massive increases in the number of breaches of apprehended violence orders, a 27 per cent increase in the number of indecent assaults, and a massive 72.7 per cent increase in sexual assaults.
Our police need support and more resources. They need offices and police stations that will allow them to do their job properly. Our police also need more fellow police. At the moment they are being left in the dark by a Government that cares more about spin than substance. The number of police officers on the Central Coast has declined, and continues to decline. The Government needs to get its act together. New South Wales requires a major overhaul of the police hierarchy, which includes issues of funding, command, response, police protection, police numbers and the notorious police media unit. The Minister for the Central Coast needs to start looking seriously at the need for police and at the levels of crime when that need is not met. The Minister must look into Terrigal police station, Kincumber police station and Woy Woy police station. These serious matters deserve urgent attention. [Time expired.]
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