Ken Wyatt (Hasluck, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Justice. Will the minister update the House on how the government's Safer Streets Program is making our community safer and is addressing the previous government's underinvestment in community safety?

Mr Ewen Jones interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Herbert will cease interjecting.

Mr Mitchell interjecting—

The member for McEwen is now warned.

Michael Keenan (Stirling, Liberal Party, Minister for Justice) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Hasluck for that question, and I note his interest in making sure that the streets of his electorate are as safe as possible. He is very aware that since we have come to office we have invested $50 million in our Safer Streets Program, which is money that we have allocated from the proceeds of crime—money that we confiscate from criminals from their illicit activities. When Labor were in office they froze the proceeds of crime account in an attempt to prop up their budget bottom line at the same time taking funding away from our front-line law enforcement officers. They were literally taking money from criminals to prop up their dodgy budget bottom line that they so spectacularly destroyed.

We made a commitment before we came to office that we would unlock this funding and return it to communities to make them safer. Without this decision, $112 million would have been locked away in this account by the financial year 2017-18. Through round 1 of our Safer Streets Program we have allocated $18 million of funding to 150 different locations in 64 different electorates. A lot of that money has funded closed-circuit television cameras, which act as a deterrent to people doing the wrong thing in public spaces—

Ms Rishworth interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Kingston has been warned.

Michael Keenan (Stirling, Liberal Party, Minister for Justice) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

and help our police to catch crooks, saving them time and saving the courts' time as well. These projects have been rolled out all across the nation. In round 1 we focused on retail and entertainment premises and commercial precincts to improve community safety. This is because we know that safe communities are strong and prosperous communities.

The electorate of Canning has benefited from the Safer Streets Program. After the strong advocacy of the previous member, the late Don Randall, we invested $250,000 in CCTV and improved lighting for the Mandurah foreshore and $170,000 for CCTV in the Armadale city centre. I was very pleased to go with Andrew Hastie, the Liberal candidate for the seat of Canning, to review some of the CCTV in action. We heard from the local council, the City of Armadale, about the impact that it had had in making their community centre safer. I was very pleased to be able to announce that we would be spending a further $150,000 in Canning to secure the Mandurah foreshore. These proceeds of crime have been benefiting local communities all around the country, and this further investment will mean the Mandurah foreshore continues to be the premier place in Mandurah for family-friendly fun.

I have no doubt that round 2 of the Safer Streets Program, which I intend to open shortly with a further $20 million investment in community safety, will be of benefit to the Canning community. I certainly am quietly confident that it will be Andrew Hastie, our Liberal candidate and a former captain of the SAS, who will be advocating as a champion for his local community to get further funds through our Safer Streets Program.