The latest data from the Productivity Commission in the Report on Government Services shows the urgent need to address serious issues in the police and justice system in the ACT, said Shadow Police Minister Jeremy Hanson.

“After a year of tragic incidents and desperate calls from the police for more support, the latest statistics show deliberate government defunding that is the root cause of many of the problems,” said Mr Hanson.

The Report shows, yet again, that the ACT has:

• The lowest number of police per capita in the country
• The lowest spend per capita for police in the country
• The lowest number of guilty convictions in the country
• The lowest magistrate court finalisations in the country
• The lowest clearance rate for property crime in the country

“Last year, 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. There are fewer sworn officers in the ACT now than ten years ago, despite having a substantial increase in population.

“This is not an accident. This is a deliberate decision by the Barr-Rattenbury government to defund this vital service.

“That’s why I am calling on this government, again, to do a full review into the crime and justice system in the ACT and give the police the resources and support so they can properly do their job to keep everyone in our community safe.”