State Government rejects claims it is absent in Carnarvon, but Opposition says it has ignored crime crisis

The crime crisis plaguing Carnarvon will not be fixed overnight or by policing alone and needs the input of all stakeholders, according to Police Minister Paul Papalia.

On Monday, Mr Papalia said “200-years-plus of disadvantage, disempowerment and dysfunction” was behind high rates of Aboriginal juvenile offending.

His comments on Monday came as North West Central MP Merome Beard, who lives in Carnarvon, said she would personally plead with Premier Mark McGowan to visit the town to see the issues for himself before Christmas.

“It’s not excusable, but it also won’t be resolved overnight by any one person, or any one agency and cannot be fixed by policing alone,” Mr Papalia said.

“This is a really challenging problem that applies (to) everybody, all governments, all communities, to work at. But it won’t be fixed overnight.”

Following criticisms of the State Government’s handling of crime in Carnarvon, the Government has argued it has been delivering programs to address these issues for many years, and reiterated its commitment to finding solutions.

The Shire of Carnarvon’s president and CEO both claimed the Government is failing to act in the town where crime is at a 10-year high and the population continues to drop, but the Government said it has launched a number of measures to counter this rise.

In addition to its community-based approaches, Mr Papalia listed Operation Regional Shield, a measure brought to Carnarvon which saw more officers and resources provided to local police to address youth crime and target acute offenders, as an example of the Government’s campaign to support the Gascoyne town.

Last month, Mr Papalia also suggested the banned drinkers register, a scheme which prevents prohibited drinkers buying alcohol at takeaway liquor shops, could be brought to the Mid West as another measure against Carnarvon’s crime struggle.

A spokesperson for previous Communities minister Simone McGurk pointed to a number of initiatives brought in by the McGowan Government including an additional intensive family support team and the Target 120 program, which is designed to prevent repeat youth offences by reaching out to at-risk young people.

In response to claims the Department of Communities presence was not being felt in Carnarvon, the spokesperson said the department regularly engaged with the community.

The spokesperson said it was “disappointing” that Carnarvon’s leaders said they felt overlooked.

“The feedback received from the Shire after the State Government announced funding for the intensive family support team was that they were pleased with the initiative which aligns with the goals of their strategy,” they said.

Community leaders claim the Federal and State governments have failed the town and that, to this point, an intensive family and community intervention strategy has been ignored.

A WA Police spokesperson said they would continue to work with partners to address Carnarvon’s crime issues.

“Police will also continue to work with local authorities, government agencies and other community groups to find solutions to community issues and concerns,” a spokesperson said.

Ms Beard said the State Government could not “claim ignorance” because the Opposition and community leaders had been calling for help for years.

She said more police were needed, as well as a safe space for children to stay at night, and more support for staff in Carnarvon, and more communication with local leaders, not only in Carnarvon but in other regional towns..

“We just can’t keep doing what we are doing, we need to do something else,” she said.

“We’re seeing a lack of consequence and a lack of accountability, and it’s escalating so we need to reign that in if we can.

“At some point in time, there’ll be a tragedy, if not tragedies; we have come close.”

On her invitation to the Premier to visit Carnarvon before Christmas, Ms Beard said Mr McGowan “seems to have refused to engage”.

A spokesperson for the Premier pointed out that Mr McGowan had visited Carnarvon multiple times, including to open the new Carnarvon PCYC which was implemented as a youth outreach measure.

“The challenges involving juvenile justice are complex and easy answers don’t exist — and aren’t helped by political grandstanding from the Opposition,” they said.