Published Thursday, 18 December, 2008 at 03:20 PM
Minister for Police, Corrective Services and Sport
The Honourable Judy Spence
LNP gets it wrong again and again when it comes to law and order
The Opposition has got it wrong again and again in the past week issuing misleading press releases and making false statements to the media and making it up as they go along, Acting Police and Corrective Services Minister Robert Schwarten said today.
“The LNP got it wrong about the Taser rollout, they got it wrong about sex offender housing in Rockhampton and they're wrong about drug driving testing,” Mr Schwarten said.
“The Queensland Police Service is on-track to deliver the rollout of Tasers on schedule commencing 1 January 2009.
“Tasers aren’t toys and training can’t be rushed. Police have always had a plan in place to train a quarter of the police service this financial year and that is proceeding as planned. There also have to be secure, safe places for them to be stored.
“The Opposition’s so called ‘plan’ to just dump Tasers on the front doorstep of police stations without offering police any training and with nowhere to store them just shows the LNP's embarrassing lack of understanding on the issue.
“It is a huge job. The police are training police officers to use Tasers appropriately to ensure they save lives and keep the community safe.
“The Opposition's cheap shot is not only insulting to senior police involved in the Taser rollout but it also underlines the LNP's complete failure to understand the process. A simple call to the police would have cleared it up for the Opposition.
“Tasers will improve safety for police, offenders and the community in general. We have a timeline and a process in place to ensure that the rollout happens smoothly, is cost-effective and safe,” Mr Schwarten said.
Mr Schwarten utterly rejected claims that the Capricornia Prison Reserve will be used as “a dumping ground” for sex offenders.
“The Opposition’s stance on this is bizarre. Firstly, they suggest that no prisoner who has served their time will be released, then they suggest that they will provide specialist housing.
“One has to ask: Where will the housing be? How much will it cost and whether keeping people in jail forever without legal reason to do so are sensible, achievable or affordable policies?
“These sex offenders have served their complete and full prison sentences and while the Government doesn't necessarily want these types of people released either, the rule of law and the courts decide to release them.
“The fact is, under the toughest laws in Australia, this Government has provided those who are let out by the courts are subject to stringent supervision.
“Offenders who have existing support networks and family in Central Queensland will be given priority.
“These offenders are also subject to a number of strict conditions as part of their supervision orders including electronic monitoring, random drug and alcohol tests, and curfews,” he said.
Mr Schwarten said the opposition’s claim that sex offenders can catch the school bus showed how irrational and lazy the opposition is.
“The Government understands that communities will not tolerate these offenders being placed in community housing but at the end of the day, if the Supreme Court decides that somebody is to be released and supervised in the community, then accommodation has to be found, and prison reserves are the best place for them.”
Mr Schwarten said the opposition’s comments about drug driving testing only operating in south-east Queensland showed a fundamental ignorance of the issue.
“The bottom line is the opposition makes sin look like it is hardworking.
“This year police have detected more than 220 drug drivers throughout Queensland. More than 130 of those detected have been in areas outside south-east Queensland.
“The drug testing units operate in all police regions throughout Queensland, there is no secret about that. If the opposition isn’t aware of this as well, then the people of Queensland should start to seriously question whether the Liberal National Party understand any law and order issue at all?
“The drug testing units will be out in force across Queensland over the Christmas period and the message to motorists is clear: if you drug drive, you will be caught.
“This is the best resourced Opposition in the State’s history yet it resorts to making it up as it goes along.
“This sloppy, lazy and arrogant attitude shows that the Opposition believes it can doze off and wait for Government to blow through the door.
“I think Queenslanders deserve better.”
Minister Spence’s office: 3239 6172
“The LNP got it wrong about the Taser rollout, they got it wrong about sex offender housing in Rockhampton and they're wrong about drug driving testing,” Mr Schwarten said.
“The Queensland Police Service is on-track to deliver the rollout of Tasers on schedule commencing 1 January 2009.
“Tasers aren’t toys and training can’t be rushed. Police have always had a plan in place to train a quarter of the police service this financial year and that is proceeding as planned. There also have to be secure, safe places for them to be stored.
“The Opposition’s so called ‘plan’ to just dump Tasers on the front doorstep of police stations without offering police any training and with nowhere to store them just shows the LNP's embarrassing lack of understanding on the issue.
“It is a huge job. The police are training police officers to use Tasers appropriately to ensure they save lives and keep the community safe.
“The Opposition's cheap shot is not only insulting to senior police involved in the Taser rollout but it also underlines the LNP's complete failure to understand the process. A simple call to the police would have cleared it up for the Opposition.
“Tasers will improve safety for police, offenders and the community in general. We have a timeline and a process in place to ensure that the rollout happens smoothly, is cost-effective and safe,” Mr Schwarten said.
Mr Schwarten utterly rejected claims that the Capricornia Prison Reserve will be used as “a dumping ground” for sex offenders.
“The Opposition’s stance on this is bizarre. Firstly, they suggest that no prisoner who has served their time will be released, then they suggest that they will provide specialist housing.
“One has to ask: Where will the housing be? How much will it cost and whether keeping people in jail forever without legal reason to do so are sensible, achievable or affordable policies?
“These sex offenders have served their complete and full prison sentences and while the Government doesn't necessarily want these types of people released either, the rule of law and the courts decide to release them.
“The fact is, under the toughest laws in Australia, this Government has provided those who are let out by the courts are subject to stringent supervision.
“Offenders who have existing support networks and family in Central Queensland will be given priority.
“These offenders are also subject to a number of strict conditions as part of their supervision orders including electronic monitoring, random drug and alcohol tests, and curfews,” he said.
Mr Schwarten said the opposition’s claim that sex offenders can catch the school bus showed how irrational and lazy the opposition is.
“The Government understands that communities will not tolerate these offenders being placed in community housing but at the end of the day, if the Supreme Court decides that somebody is to be released and supervised in the community, then accommodation has to be found, and prison reserves are the best place for them.”
Mr Schwarten said the opposition’s comments about drug driving testing only operating in south-east Queensland showed a fundamental ignorance of the issue.
“The bottom line is the opposition makes sin look like it is hardworking.
“This year police have detected more than 220 drug drivers throughout Queensland. More than 130 of those detected have been in areas outside south-east Queensland.
“The drug testing units operate in all police regions throughout Queensland, there is no secret about that. If the opposition isn’t aware of this as well, then the people of Queensland should start to seriously question whether the Liberal National Party understand any law and order issue at all?
“The drug testing units will be out in force across Queensland over the Christmas period and the message to motorists is clear: if you drug drive, you will be caught.
“This is the best resourced Opposition in the State’s history yet it resorts to making it up as it goes along.
“This sloppy, lazy and arrogant attitude shows that the Opposition believes it can doze off and wait for Government to blow through the door.
“I think Queenslanders deserve better.”
Minister Spence’s office: 3239 6172