Wednesday 23 October 2013

Why is the Newman Government hiding vital info?

Media Release.

Tuesday 22nd. October 2013.


Member for Mulgrave, Curtis Pitt, says the Premier needs to explain why he is hiding vital information on crime and sentencing of offenders.
Mr Pitt said the Newman Government was no longer publishing a comprehensive collection of crime statistics and had cut vital information from the annual report of the state’s Magistrates’’ Court.
“The Newman Government claims to be open and accountable but it seems almost every day it hides more and more information from Queenslanders,” Mr Pitt said.
“For more than 20 years the Queensland Police Service has published an annual statistical review detailing crime trends, offence rates and numbers, and other vital information."
“The publication provided breakdowns by regions and districts of offences, clear-up rates, types and ages of offenders, types and ages of victims, all of which allowed Queenslanders to see for themselves the facts of crime in our state."
“It also included the number of police in each district."
“The latest statistical review was due this month but the Police Minister Jack Dempsey has announced it has been canned."
“It will not be produced this year or at any time in the future."
“He claims all the information will be available on the internet. The truth is anyone looking for the consolidated data will now have to trawl hundreds of pages on different websites."
“I do know that the data available shows vehicle theft in FNQ rising over the last three years from 655 in 2010-11, to 764 in 2011-12, and 794 in 2012-13."
“But the consolidated report would have also have shown the ages of car thieves and profiles of victims so we could tell if there is a youth crime problem, or if thieves were targeting elderly people."
“Removing this consolidated form of essential policing data from public view is not open government."
“Similarly, the Newman Government is not releasing regional breakdowns of court clearance rates in its annual report for the state’s Magistrates’ Courts."
“Clearly, the Attorney-General has something to hide."
“Why else would the annual report of the Magistrate’s Court not include regional breakdowns of clearance rates of case through the courts when in the past it has always shown them."
“This is a government that purports to be getting tough on crime but at the same time refuses to tell Queenslanders the results of that supposed effort."
“The Opposition has been asking for the same data for some time now and, despite various promises and commitments by the LNP government, it is still being kept under wraps."
“The Attorney-General and the Premier are on the record pledging to be open and accountable. This is anything but,” Mr Pitt said.

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