No law and order Renaissance for New South Wales

O'Farrell's stance cannot be based on increased clamour for action on crime from the electorate. The report 'A statistical snapshot of crime and justice in New South Wales: Statistical indicators 5/10' published by the NSW Parliamentary Library Research Service reveals that the proportion of people who believe there is a problem with crime in theirneighbourhoodhas declined since 2001 from 55.4% to 45.1% in 2008.

So there seems no doubt that the Coalition's tactic is a cynical electioneering ploy. Creating fear where none exists and then feeding off it worked well for the Coalition in Victoria last November. The tactic is electorally effective, if socially destructive.

There was one bright moment in January 2009 when the Coalition's shadow attorney-general Greg Smith promised to end the law and order auction. In a dramatic change of tactics, Smith advised that the Coalition would reduce the prison population and cut crime by investing in mental health services. As any intelligent, well-informed administrator should.

"That's where my pragmatic view comes in," the former NSW deputy director of public prosecutions told the Sydney Morning Herald. "Our recidivism rates are far too high and this harsh line that we have been taking, with the Government almost proud of the size of the prisons, and proud to build more, in my opinion, shows a lack of care for people in prisons, their families and the community generally, because it is short-sighted"

But of course this was too sensible to last. Smith's leader Barry O'Farrell has entered the final week of the election campaign with promises of 550 more police officers and a new helicopter. He has outbid Labor by $200 million.

But there is hope. There is a time-honoured tradition in Australian politics of new governments breaking election promises straight after the election because funds are not available. "We knew the former government mismanaged the economy. But we had no idea it was this bad. There is a black hole. So now we can't [insert expensive promise here]. We just can't. Blame them, not us." It is a familiar refrain.

So let's hope the promises Barry O'Farrell breaks are those to impose a costly stricter penal regime. Let's hope he invests instead in mental health services, support for disadvantaged minorities and education.

As Michel de Montaigne urged: "Make your educational laws strict and your criminal ones can be gentle; but if you leave youth its vulnerability you will have to dig dungeons for ages."