Local Liberal Candidates, Bart Bassett, Kevin Conolly, Tricia Hitchen and Karen Chijoff today welcomed the visit by Shadow Minister for Police Mike Gallacher to announce further details of the NSW Liberal/Nationals plan to tackle youth crime and anti-social behaviour in Western Sydney. 

“After twelve years, Labor’s ‘softly-softly’ policing strategy has failed, and neighbourhoods throughout Sydney are paying for it.  Especially in Western Sydney,” Mr Gallacher said.

“Glaring examples this weekend were attacks on businesses on Mulgoa Road where graffiti was plastered over walls and cars damaged,” Liberal Candidate for Penrith Tricia Hitchen said.

The NSW Liberal/Nationals have already released a range of initiatives to tackle youth crime and anti-social behaviour, including:

• Moving from Labor’s unlimited cautions to a system of ‘one warning, one caution’ only for young offenders;
• Increased parental responsibility;
• Strengthening the Summary Offences Act;
• Giving police tougher powers to search for concealed weapons;
• Naming the convicted; and,
• A better juvenile justice system.

“I am pleased to say the NSW Coalition is going further to tackle youth crime and anti-social behaviour in Western Sydney,” former Police Officer Tricia Hitchen said.

“Not only are we committed to providing an additional 800 General Duties Police, 300 Highway Patrol Officers, yesterday Peter Debnam committed to provide a further 600 Police.”

Ms Chijoff said, “Under a Coalition Government, our community will have 200 additional Transit Police to make public transport safer, 200 additional detectives to help solve more crime; and a new 200 strong zero tolerance Police ‘Mobile Impact Squad’ that will enable police to saturate crime trouble spots with officers.

“Youth crime and anti-social behaviour has become a major problem for too many NSW communities,” she said.

The NSW Liberal/Nationals have developed a comprehensive plan to tackle youth crime and anti-social behaviour in NSW. We believe it is time to start fixing the problem of youth crime and anti-social behaviour.

1700 MORE POLICE

The NSW Coalition will deliver an additional 1700 Officers to make a real difference on crime across NSW.

• 800 additional General Duties Police
• 300 additional Highway Patrol Police
• 200 strong new zero tolerance Police ‘Mobile Impact Squad’ that will enable police to saturate crime troublespots with officers
• 200 additional Transit Police, putting Police on trains and buses throughout Western Sydney
• 200 additional Detectives to help address the rate of unsolved crime in our community

“More Police on the streets sends a direct message to hoons, thugs and criminals that breaking the law will not be tolerated,” Mr Bassett said.

Mr Gallacher said the Mobile Impact Squad will take a ‘zero tolerance’ approach to street crime and will be used to saturate troublespots with a significant police presence.   It will be equipped with two purpose-built Mobile Charge Stations to support police in the field.

“The Squad will work in close cooperation with the Riot Squad and other specialist units and will receive specialist training in dealing with anti-social behaviour, street crime, crowd control and car hoons,” Mr Gallacher said.

Mr Conolly said, “200 additional detectives will mean more crimes can be solved.  This is especially important for Western Sydney residents because clear up rates for some major categories of crime have worsened by up to 66% over the last ten years.

ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR ORDERS

Police powers to deal with youth crime and anti-social behaviour will be boosted through the trial of a new preventative power for police - Anti-Social Behaviour Orders (ASBOs).

“Our police know who the trouble makers are, but they are currently powerless to do anything about it,” Mr Gallacher said.
 
“Under Labor’s softly-softly policing strategy, police have few effective preventative powers and can often only act after a crime has been committed,” he said.

Under the trial, police will be able to apply for an ASBO to place restrictions on the movements or behaviour of young troublemakers in an attempt to prevent criminal behaviour. ASBO applications will be determined in the Magistrates Court.

ASBOs will be effective for up to six months and Breaching an ASBO will be a criminal offence.

ASBO conditions will potentially include non-association provisions, night-time curfews, and restrictions on entering defined geographic areas.