Electronic monitoring
53. Ms Libby Mettam to the Minister for Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence:
(1) Given the revelations by staff from the Department of Justice that, "We can't manage electronic monitoring outside of Perth", and by the WA Police Force that it has not been properly resourced in regional WA to provide electronic monitoring of perpetrators of family and domestic violence, as well as the fact that Western Australia is the most dangerous state to be a woman, has the Minister for Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence raised her concerns with the Minister for Corrective Services and the Minister for Police about the lack of resourcing that is prohibiting effective monitoring in WA and what was their response to those concerns?
Several members interjected.
The Speaker: Members! There is a point of order.
Point of order
Mr David Michael: Under standing orders and your ruling, questions are to be kept brief, Speaker. I just draw your attention to that.
The Speaker: If you could wrap up the question, thanks.
Questions without notice resumed
Ms Libby Mettam: I will continue.
(2) Why do victims in regional WA not get the same protection as in metropolitan Perth given the GPS trial started five years ago?
Mr Roger Cook interjected.
The Speaker: Premier! I give the call to the Minister for Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence.
Mrs Jessica Stojkovski replied:
Thank you, Speaker.
Mr Basil Zempilas interjected.
Mrs Jessica Stojkovski: I am on my feet, Leader of the Opposition, so thank you.
(1)–(2) I welcome all the questions today on family and domestic violence because it is my firm belief that the prevention of family and domestic violence and violence towards women and children is the responsibility of everybody in our community. That is why this government has invested over half a billion dollars in our responses to family and domestic violence. We are also the first government in WA to have a Minister for Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence. Although I cannot speak to the operational matters that the member raised, she has heard from the ministers who are responsible for those matters. In terms of monitoring, she has heard from the Minister for Corrective Services that it is 24/7. She has heard from the Minister for Police that police respond to breaches 24/7. The police do not require a warrant if there is a breach of the electric monitoring. With regards to whether I have raised it, family and domestic violence prevention is something that we speak about regularly. I do not have to specifically raise it with a minister because I know that we are always talking. My officers are always talking, and the ministers and I are always talking about the responses to family and domestic violence because we on this side believe that it is the responsibility of everybody to stop family and domestic violence in our community, to protect those that are most vulnerable and most affected by this, and it is not the responsibility of one minister or one person to say where electric monitoring is happening.
54. Ms Libby Mettam to the Minister for Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence:
As Minister for Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence, why has the minister not raised the delays of between six to 12 hours or more for police to apprehend an offender when there has been a breach, and these major issues across the regions?
Mrs Jessica Stojkovski replied:
I did not say that I did not raise them. We talk about this all the time.
Ms Libby Mettam: Weasel words!
The Speaker: Member, you have asked the question. Let the minister respond. Carry on, minister.
Mrs Jessica Stojkovski: If the member wants to look at weasel words, I suggest she look to her right when it comes to family and domestic violence and not across the aisle. This side of the Parliament is the only party that has looked after the issue of family and domestic violence and actually made some reforming change. It has actually made half a billion dollars of investment. Members opposite had eight years in government and they did nothing. The member has a leader who closed down a women's refuge. She has a leader who closed down a women's refuge and she has the audacity to come in here and question us!
Several members interjected.
The Speaker: Minister. Premier.
Several members interjected.
The Speaker: Members, we were doing quite well timewise in question time this time, but we have lost the majority of time on interjections and having to stop and get a little bit of order back in the house. The more you do that, the longer it takes and the fewer questions you are going to get next time. Carry on, minister.
Mrs Jessica Stojkovski: Thank you, Mr Speaker.
I will ask the member: Have you raised the question with your leader? Did you ask him why he closed down a women's refuge? I know that I speak to my colleagues; you clearly do not.
Several members interjected.
The Speaker: Members! When everyone is finished—carry on, minister.
Mrs Jessica Stojkovski: I think the point that the member is missing in her question is the fact that electric monitoring is a bail condition. It is not a substitute for detention. Community safety is paramount to this government. Community safety is at the forefront of the decision-making of the courts and the magistrates who assess the risk to the community and to the victim before they decide on bail. Once bail is—
Ms Libby Mettam interjected.
Mrs Jessica Stojkovski: Will you please let me finish?
Dr Tony Buti interjected.
The Speaker: Attorney General! Members!
Mrs Jessica Stojkovski: Once bail has been decided, electric monitoring, much like exclusion zones and curfews, is a bail condition. It is not an excuse or an alternative to detention.
