Extra 100 Police, And Fast Track To New Jail

Sydney Morning Herald

Wednesday June 3, 1998

By DAMIEN MURPHY

An extra 100 police, a new $17.5 million ultra-secure jail at Goulburn and $3 million to cut waiting times in criminal court cases are the law-and-order highlights of the Budget.

With law and order becoming the main political battleground, the Treasurer, Mr Egan, in his Budget speech, launched a strong defence of the Police Commissioner, Mr Ryan, the subject of community and Opposition criticism in recent weeks.

"Commissioner Ryan has been given a great task. He needs and deserves the support of the community and all sides of Parliament. If he is undermined, we will all be the losers. If he succeeds, we all win," Mr Egan said during his speech.

Police funding rose $82 million (6.7 per cent) to $1.3 billion.

The Treasurer buckled to Cabinet room pressure to provide extra police and next year the total force will number 13,407 officers.

But the Opposition police spokesman, Mr Andrew Tink, said the force strength was 13,415 last November and the Government was failing to replace police who had left in the wake of the Wood Royal Commission reforms.

The Budget earmarked $8.6 million to upgrade the statewide "000" service. The police Internal Affairs Branch will get an extra $1 million to increase investigative and surveillance capabilities, while another $1.1 million has been allocated for covert operations stemming from the Wood Royal Commission.

In capital works, new police stations are planned for Auburn ($4 million) and Ashfield ($3.7 million), and $500,000 will be spent on updating dog squad accommodation.

Corrective Services will start building a new 60-cell ultra- secure block at Goulburn next February.

The Attorney-General's Department's $3 million allocation to cut criminal trial waiting times provides for the appointment of two acting judges in the Supreme Court and two new judges in the District Court.

Another $4 million will be spent modernising court computer equipment.

Another $4 million will be provided to the Legal Aid Commission following savage Federal Government cuts to the service.

© 1998 Sydney Morning Herald

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