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Mr DONALD PAGE: My question without notice is to the Minister for Police. How can the Minister justify a reduction in highway patrols of more than 500,000 kilometres over the past five years in the northern region, as identified in this leaked document, when the fatality rate on the Pacific Highway remains so unacceptably high?
Mr JOHN WATKINS: The highway patrol part of NSW Police is doing an outstanding job, city and country, in providing safe touring on roads in country New South Wales. I will not accept or tolerate criticism of NSW Police from the New South Wales Opposition.. It seems to be that whenever the Opposition in this House mentions police it is to criticise.
Mr Donald Page: I take a point of order under Standing Order 138: The Minister is not answering the question. He is seeking to place a slur on members on this side of the House. We support the highway patrol. We want to know why the Minister is cutting those patrols.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! I will not give further rulings on this matter. I call the honourable member for Ballina to order. He will resume his seat.
Mr JOHN WATKINS: By way of example of the constant and enduring criticism by the Opposition of NSW Police—and most honourable members would not have heard this—the shadow Minister spoke in this place about the Commissioner of Police, Ken Moroney. Ken Moroney is without doubt the most well respected police officer in New South Wales. He has been the Commissioner of Police at a time when the crime rate has dropped considerably and continues to go down. He is the police commissioner at a time when morale in the Police Force is the highest it has ever been.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! I call the honourable member for Willoughby to order.
Mr JOHN WATKINS: He is the police commissioner at a time when police numbers are higher than they ever have been. He is police commissioner at a time when the Police budget is higher than it ever has been. But in this place, just a fortnight ago, the shadow Minister for Police said these offensive things about our commissioner:
Uncle Ken, for the people of New South Wales, has now become—
Mr Andrew Humpherson: Point of order: I draw to your attention rulings of former Speakers of this House, Ellis, Cameron, Kelly and Rozzoli, who said that the Speaker has no control over the way a Minister answers a question other than to ensure that the answer is relevant. Further, if I can refer you to a ruling of Speaker Murray that the Minister—
Mr SPEAKER: Order! I have already given my rulings on this matter. The honourable member for Davidson will resume his seat.
Mr Andrew Humpherson: Mr Speaker, I have not finished. In relation to Speaker Murray—
Mr SPEAKER: Order! The honourable member for Davidson will resume his seat.
Mr Andrew Humpherson: Mr Speaker, I have not finished. Speaker Murray ruled—
Mr SPEAKER: Order! I call the honourable member for Davidson to order.
Mr Andrew Humpherson: Mr Speaker, I would like you to listen to the point of order. The Minister was directed to resume his seat after his answer strayed from the subject of the question.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! I call the honourable member for Davidson to order for the second time. He will resume his seat.
Mr Andrew Humpherson: If Speaker Murray upheld that sort of ruling, why can't you?
Mr SPEAKER: Order! I have already given my rulings on this matter. I have already substantiated those rulings by reference to rulings of former Speakers. The honourable member for Davidson will resume his seat.
Mr Andrew Humpherson: Mr Speaker, former—
Mr SPEAKER: Order! The honourable member for Davidson will resume his seat.
Mr Andrew Humpherson: Rulings of former Speakers form precedent. Are you discarding all of those?
Mr SPEAKER: Order! I call the honourable member for Davidson to order for the third time. The Minister has the call.
Mr JOHN WATKINS: It is important to put on the record what the Opposition thinks about the police in New South Wales. Here it is.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! I call the honourable member for Murrumbidgee to order for the third time.
Mr JOHN WATKINS: I quote the honourable member for Vaucluse:
Uncle Ken, for the people of New South Wales, has now become a distant relative. He really is not pursuing their interests at the moment. He hasn't been since he took over the job.
That is what the shadow spokesman, with the support of the Leader of the Opposition, thinks about New South Wales police. Most honourable members would recall that the last time a highway patrol question was asked in this House, I think by the Leader of The Nationals, it was made up. The accusation made at that time also reflected badly on the highway patrol. These are more of their grubby tactics. I will seek a report from the commissioner.