As we build up to the 2024 ACT election in October, Marisa Paterson MLA and Jeremy Hanson CSC, MLA will write a column each week covering different topics. This is the fourth instalment.

Jeremy Hanson

We need more police on the ground

As someone who spent over two decades serving our country in uniform, I want to salute the work of our ACT police service.

In some of the most difficult circumstances any of us can imagine, we ask police to put themselves in harm’s way to keep the rest of us safe, day after day.

That’s why it is frustrating for me that we ask this of our police without giving them the appropriate staffing numbers they deserve, or the adequate resources and laws that make their task easier, not harder than it should be.

The fact they are underfunded and under-supported is indisputable.

Productivity Commission reports show the ACT was the only jurisdiction in Australia to record a negative average annual growth rate in real recurrent expenditure from 2016-17 to 2020-21. We have the lowest rate of police per person in the country.

The 2021 AFPA Budget submission stated: “The Association has been continuously drawing the government’s attention to under-resourcing – both for staff and infrastructure – for a number of years.”

In 2013, just after Labor joined forces with the Greens, they ripped $15 million out of the police budget and prioritised the tram over everything else.

Yet Mr Gentleman claimed: “Record investment…” and that “the workforce continues to grow”.

But the actual number of police officers is falling. A report in 2022 showed there had been a 0.7 per cent fall in police numbers. The workforce has not grown – it has shrunk.

The previous Chief Police Officer, who conducted his own review, said: “It’s become clear to me that the number of police we have currently needs to be increased to meet current and future demand.”

That’s why the Canberra Liberals have announced an additional 200 police on the ground, upgrades to Woden station, and a new police station for the growing area of Molonglo.

While Labor has underfunded the police, the Greens want even less police. Their spokesman recently complained that increasing police numbers leads to “…over policing”.

Only the Canberra Liberals will properly support our police who have been stretched too thin for too long.

Marisa Paterson

Standing at our local shops, I hear the stories of Canberrans struggling with the cost of living. The pressures are significant, with families balancing housing costs and basic living expenses, which is why ACT Labor, in government, has prioritised relief over the last few years.  A key aspect of addressing cost-of-living is seeing wage increases. In Government, ACT Labor has delivered significant pay increases for our lowest paid government workers.

ACT Labor’s practical plan addresses the critical issue of housing supply and affordability by enabling a further 30,000 homes by the end of 2030. The Affordable Housing Project Fund will be expanded to $80 million to see an increase in affordable rental. The ACT Government is also extending the Rent Relief Fund to support Canberrans on low incomes experiencing severe financial hardship.

One of the biggest pressures faced by households are energy bills. ACT Labor will continue to work at keeping energy costs low by progressing our vision for a renewable future. The Government will provide up to $800 in energy bill relief to more than 40,000 households. The Canberra Big Battery project will deliver further reductions in power bills and energy security in the ACT into the future.

Public transport users will benefit from a period of free travel during the transition to the Myway+ ticketing system. For those on the aged pension, the ACT Government also provides a range of rebates, including on general rates.

In Government, ACT Labor is providing additional funding to the services that are the backbone of our community, including funding food relief services, financial counselling, and essential services like Roundabout Canberra, Fearless Women, and Women’s Health Matters. Not to mention increasing the service offering at our local walk-in centres to see free public healthcare delivered to Canberrans. Since 2020, ACT Labor has delivered in providing the Future of Education Equity fund to support families with school costs.

The ACT Government cost-of-living package in the ACT Budget will support thousands of Canberra households with their everyday costs. It’s a practical and proven plan, and ACT Labor will continue to ease the cost-of-living for Canberrans doing it tough.