Operation Avert

Mr TONY STEWART: My question is addressed to the Minister for Police. Will the Minister advise the House on the efforts of New South Wales police to apprehend people wanted for breach of bail and outstanding warrant offences?

The SPEAKER: Order! The House will come to order.

Mr DAVID CAMPBELL: I thank the member for his long-term interest in policing matters. He has been a long-time supporter of the police force in New South Wales. It is a priority of the New South Wales Government and of the New South Wales Police Force to take dangerous criminals off the streets. That is why last weekend a specific operation was initiated to do just that. Over the three days of 10 May, 11 May and 12 May New South Wales police undertook a statewide operation to target offenders with outstanding warrants and persons wanted for breach of bail and similar offences. I know the House will be interested in hearing the enormous success of this operation, known as Operation Avert. On day one of the operation, last Saturday, police made 157 arrests and preferred 232 charges. On day two police made 154 arrests and preferred 209 charges. On day three police made 149 arrests and preferred 199 charges. That is a total of 460 arrests and 640 charges over the three days of this successful police operation across New South Wales.

It is a great result and police deserve credit for it. Operation Avert has resulted in hundreds of arrests, many of them involving serious offenders who have now been taken off the streets. Some examples of the arrests made in the course of the operation include—and I know Mr Speaker will be interested in this—a 28-year-old man who was arrested in Armidale on two outstanding warrants relating to the alleged aggravated sexual assault of a 13-year-old girl in Armidale last year. A 32-year-old Surry Hills man was charged with supply prohibited drug on Saturday after the drug ice was allegedly offered to undercover police on Darlinghurst Road, Kings Cross. I know that the Minister for Gaming and Racing and the member for Wollondilly will be interested to learn that a 32-year-old Bradbury man was arrested and charged with numerous offences relating to two separate stabbings in the Campbelltown area earlier this year. In Albury a 17-year-old youth was arrested and police seized three firearms and two bicycles.

This operation is another example of our police getting out there and getting the job done. I congratulate Commissioner Scipione, Deputy Commissioner Dave Owens and Assistant Commissioner Frank Mennilli on their leadership. Equally importantly, I congratulate all the constables and sergeants on the front line on this successful operation. Of course, we will not hear a word of congratulations from members opposite—the biggest critics of the New South Wales Police Force. With the Opposition in disarray, the temporary leader has done yet another mini-reshuffle to try to protect his tenuous grip on the job.

Mr Adrian Piccoli: Point of order: My point of order relates to relevance under Standing Order 129. The question was quite specific. Clearly the Minister is delving into other areas not relevant to the question. I ask that you bring him back to the leave of the question.

The SPEAKER: Order! I ask the Minister to stay within the leave of the question.

Mr DAVID CAMPBELL: I was going on to talk about potential offences, which I think will interest members. One thing the Leader of the Opposition will not be doing, I suspect, is letting the member for Epping move up the bench any closer to the top end—and I would not blame him! After all, the member for Epping brings a whole new meaning to political backstabbing on the Opposition benches when one considers what he had to say this morning on 2SM:

Particularly as people are getting older you've got this temptation to bump off your relatives if they are sick, to get the inheritance.

Mr Adrian Piccoli: Point of order: Again, my point of order is relevance under Standing Order 129. The question was specific. Clearly, the Minister is moving into areas not relevant to the question. Mr Speaker, you have already ruled on this issue. The Minister has a bad record of defying your rulings. We saw an example of that last week.

The SPEAKER: Order! I will allow the Minister to continue. I am confident he is aware that the question related to offences of bail and other related matters.

Mr DAVID CAMPBELL: It certainly is a potential offence to bump off a relative to claim the inheritance. We know that the leadership of the Leader of the Opposition is looking sick, but the only inheritance will go to the member for Manly, not the member for Epping. I call on any members who witness the activities of the "Psycho SC from Westleigh" to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. Indeed, I encourage members and people visiting in the gallery to support the work of police by contacting Crime Stoppers on that number when they see something that may resemble criminal activity. Indeed, this morning my attention was directed to the website of the member for Manly, who is the Opposition spokesman—

Mr Adrian Piccoli: Point of order: My point of order is under Standing Order 129, relevance. The Minister is canvassing your rulings about relevance; you have drawn him back to the question.

The SPEAKER: Order! I have heard enough of the point of order. I have drawn the Minister back to the leave of the question. I am confident that his answer is relevant to the question. He is commenting on the shadow Minister's contribution, which we have not yet heard.

Mr DAVID CAMPBELL: I was drawn to the leadership bid website of the member for Manly, the shadow Minister for finance, energy and commerce—or perhaps he is the shadow Minister for penguins. On that website he says, "We want Penguins, not Police."

Mr Adrian Piccoli: Point of order: Mr Speaker, if you want me to stop taking points of order under Standing Order 129, please draw the Minister back to the question.

The SPEAKER: Order! I ask the Minister to confine his remarks to the leave of the question.

Mr DAVID CAMPBELL: Finally, we have a policing policy from the Opposition. Members opposite want penguins, not New South Wales police officers. Indeed, the New South Wales Police Force uses a cartoon penguin. The leadership website shows Mr Baird saying, "We want Penguins, not Police."

Mr Chris Hartcher: Point of order: I ask the Minister to respect your ruling that he should confine his answer to the question asked and not deal with extraneous matter.

The SPEAKER: Order! I uphold the point of order. I ask the Minister to confine his remarks to the leave of the question.

Mr DAVID CAMPBELL: Constable Charlie is part of the School Safe Program. We do not have, and we have no need for, real penguins to run the Police Force because we have Commissioner Scipione and 271 new probationary constables who attested at the college in Goulburn last week. Those new constables will add to the effort of the officers who did such a sterling job on Operation Avert over the weekend.

Mr Greg Smith: Point of order: Mr Speaker, earlier I heard you call for ministerial statements. The Minister is giving a ministerial statement, not an answer to a question. I should be given the right of reply.

The SPEAKER: Order! There is no point of order. The member for Epping will resume his seat. The Minister has concluded his answer.