Lane Cove Police Numbers

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Speakers - Chikarovski Mrs Kerry; Whelan Mr Paul
Business - Private Members Statements

LANE COVE POLICE NUMBERS

Mrs CHIKAROVSKI (Lane Cove) [4.21 p.m.]: I raise a matter of great concern to my constituents, that is, the downgrading of police services within the Lane Cove area. This matter has been much talked about among the local community and businesses within the area which are particularly concerned that under the so-called restructure of the Police Service a number of police resources have been taken away from the Lane Cove police station and relocated at Chatswood. No-one objects to Chatswood police station having adequate resources. Since July, when the restructure was implemented, there have effectively been no beat police in Lane Cove. In fact, recently I was so taken aback to see two police officers walking around the streets of Lane Cove that I asked them if they were Lane Cove’s new beat police. They said, "No, we are actually two police just wandering up to get our lunch." That is about the only level of beat police protection there is in Lane Cove.

I realise that for a lot of people having no parking police around is sometimes a gift, but parking police have not been seen for such a long time at Lane Cove that the other day they were labelled an endangered species sighting; we were very pleased to have them there. Before the restructuring Lane Cove had four police cars - three marked and one unmarked. That number has been reduced to only two, another halving of police resources. I am advised that local response times have worsened and that is causing great concern amongst both the business community and the community at large. I have always had a good relationship with the police.

The change in response time was brought home to me two weeks ago. As honourable members will be aware, Parliament was sitting at that time. A number of honourable members have two staff members who live locally and they bring one staff member in when the House is sitting. I had one staff member at the office and while she was there on her own a particularly difficult constituent - a gentle way of describing the manner in which the lady behaved - arrived at my office. The office has a glass panel in the top part of the door. The constituent was locked on the other side of the door and started to attack the glass panel. She became increasingly agitated.

My staff member became concerned, the local police were contacted and asked to come around. With regret the police said that there was no-one available. My staff member is a competent person who felt that her safety was at risk. The protection of staff is of critical concern to all honourable members. On previous occasions the police have attended immediately, but they were not able to provide that service on this day. Fortunately my staff member at Lane Cove was able to stay on the line to my other staff member in Parliament House and that provided some comfort. Fortunately, the woman involved eventually decided to leave. That was not good enough.

Honourable members know that at times in the activities in which they are involved they get difficult constituents, but staff should be able to feel comforted by the fact that police will respond if needed. I informed the staff of the Minister for Police that I would be speaking about police matters today, and I was told that the Minister is tied up in a meeting. I am sure the Minister will be listening on the intercom and he will take on board my concerns about the Lane Cove police. I take this opportunity to thank the security staff of Parliament House, who have arranged to have a new door constructed in my electorate office to improve the security arrangements so that my staff will feel safer. But that is not the long-term answer.

I acknowledge the presence of the Minister for Police in the Chamber now. The long-term answer is to have more police at Lane Cove so that when such difficulties arise people do not feel threatened and they can be comforted knowing that the police are able to respond and that the response will be adequate and quick. That will reassure the community, not just my staff, that police presence in Lane Cove will be maintained, service delivery will be as good as it was prior to the restructure and at the end of the day everyone will live in what they are hoping to live in: a safer community.

Mr WHELAN (Ashfield - Minister for Police) [4.26 p.m.]: I heard by accident the honourable member for Lane Cove dealing with policing and a matter relating to her staff. I noted that the honourable member for Lane Cove concluded by saying that the parliamentary security staff were able to assist her. They do a very valuable job for members in providing assistance. My office and every other honourable member’s office have difficulties with constituents. I suggest that the honourable member take up this matter with the parliamentary security staff to ensure that the security of her employees, that is, her electorate
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staff, is foremost in her mind and everyone else’s mind. I am surprised that has not been done before today. If that is her first difficult constituent, the honourable member is very lucky.

In relation to the general issue of policing, the honourable member would be pleased to know that, for argument’s sake, assaults and break and enters for the last three months show a significant downward trend. As I have said in this House on many occasions, that is attributable to there being an additional 400-plus police in New South Wales and 1,000 police having been redeployed to police stations from desk-bound jobs in the Police Service. At Chatswood police station, which is specifically in the honourable member’s electorate -

Mrs Chikarovski: No, it is not.

Mr WHELAN: Chatswood is close by and services the honourable member’s electorate. The number of detectives at Chatswood police station has increased. Formerly detective inspection coverage was 9.5 hours per day five days a week and it has increased to 17.5 hours per day during the whole week. That is a dramatic increase. If I had more details on the Lane Cove area command I would be pleased to provide them, but they would be exactly the same as those in every other local area command. There has been an increase in policing throughout the whole of the State. I will provide a much more detailed answer to the honourable member in due course.

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