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The Liberal/National Coalition's vision for a safe and secure NSW

By Andrew Tink - posted Friday, 28 February 2003


A Liberal/National Coalition government will act to keep drugs, knives and gangs out of schools and keep teachers and students safe by implementing a 'Police in High Schools' trial in 10 High Schools at risk around the State.

Under a Liberal/National Coalition government, police based in high schools will:

  • undertake initial response and investigation of offences within the perimeters of the school;
  • assist teachers in developing and presenting curriculum material to meet Police and school community needs; and
  • proactively address identified security concerns within the school and related communities.
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This pilot program will develop a relationship of respect and trust between police and students. It is based on successful models in Queensland and Western Australia, where the results have proven that police officers in "at-risk" schools are effective in preventing violent crime.

Reforming Periodic Detention

A Liberal/National Coalition government will address community concerns that courts are allowing serious criminals to serve their sentences on weekends by:

  • confining the availability of periodic detention to minor offences only;
  • excluding sex offenders from eligibility for periodic detention;
  • legislating to make periodic detainees who miss any three detention periods without a reasonable excuse, serve the remainder of their term in full-time imprisonment.

Abolishing Labor's Penalty Notice Scheme

Labor's Penalty Notice Scheme for crimes of violence and dishonesty is effectively a glorified traffic ticket scheme. The Liberal/National Coalition believes crimes of violence and dishonesty must not be decriminalised.

A Liberal/National Coalition government will end Labor's trial of issuing penalty notices for crimes of violence and dishonesty.

Fighting Graffiti and Vandalism

Labor has seriously weakened by abolishing, in 1996, the highly effective Graffiti Task Force, the ability of Police to target graffiti. Incidents of graffiti that can be classified as malicious damage are currently dealt with over the phone.

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A Liberal/National Coalition government will:

  • establish a Vandal Squad along the lines of the disbanded Graffiti Task Force;
  • build an intelligence database on major graffiti vandals, including the identification of graffiti 'tags';
  • legislate to lock down spray paint displays to prevent cans from being shoplifted;
  • remove the requirement that prevents vandals from going to gaol unless they are persistent offenders, regardless of the amount of damage they have caused; and
  • change the Summary Offences Act to give magistrates more custodial options for serious vandalism offenders, including those on their first offence.

Targeting Illegal Black-Market Handguns

A Liberal/National Coalition government will establish a dedicated hotline targeting illegal handguns, offering a $1,000 reward for those who provide information leading to an arrest for possession of an illegal handgun.

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About the Author

Andrew Tink is the New South Wales Shadow Minister for Police and Shadow Leader of the House; and Member for Epping.

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