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- 7 June 2007
Westbus Willmot Service Withdrawal
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Page: 1053
Ms GLADYS BEREJIKLIAN: My question is directed to the Minister for Police. In light of the latest attack on a bus in Willmot, this time allegedly involving a home-made rocket which sent a projectile through two panes of shatterproof glass, why does the Minister continue to ignore repeated calls for more transit police to prevent such vicious attacks?
Mr DAVID CAMPBELL: The event that has been reported is stupid and crazy—there is no other explanation to describe what occurred.
The SPEAKER: Order! I remind the member for Wakehurst that he is on three calls to order.
Mr DAVID CAMPBELL: I am advised that on 6 June 2007 Westbus withdrew its regular bus services from Willmot as a result of rock-throwing incidents. The bus company has advised that media reports of a rocket launcher striking a bus in Willmot were incorrect. The incident involved a rock breaking two bus windows on the evening of 5 June and a slingshot might have been involved. Police have taken possession of the rock for forensic examination and consideration. Westbus indicated that it would provide a morning and afternoon shuttle bus service for Willmot Public School students.
I am advised that a meeting is underway involving New South Wales police, the Ministry of Transport, the Department of Housing, the Transport Workers Union [TWU] and Westbus to determine what action can be taken to safely reintroduce route services into Willmot. The Government is committed to making trains, stations and buses safer. The New South Wales Police Force is working cooperatively with State Rail and other agencies to achieve this. Deputy Commissioner Andrew Scipione is currently reviewing the operations of the New South Wales Police Force specialist Commuter Crime Unit and its deployment across rail, bus and ferry services. This unit has around 300 positions to assist RailCorp transit officers and State Transit protection officers.
The unit will be tasked with additional high-visibility, high-impact operations to protect commuters from crime and antisocial behaviour on our transport systems. Commuter crime officers target everything from transport and street crime to drug offences, robbery and assault. While the officers are primarily involved in high-visibility operations, they also undertake covert work. The Commuter Crime Unit has been involved in a number of Vikings operations since the inception of Operation Vikings. Transit officers were present at the Vikings operation I observed recently in the city.
I will remind the House of the results of Operations Vikings. This year alone Operation Vikings has deployed more than 7,000 additional police shifts and laid almost 2,500 charges. To further support public safety on the rail system the New South Wales Government has a policy of allowing police free travel on public transport in order to increase police presence on the system. As to the event to which the question referred, the member for Willoughby did not have her facts right—surprise, surprise. Opposition members rarely have their facts right. Nevertheless, an event caused risk to passengers and to the driver, and the police and other New South Wales government agencies are acting appropriately and responding strongly to stupid acts by particular individuals in the community.
The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Willoughby will come to order.
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