Ms GAMBARO (8:19 PM) —I would like to draw the attention of the House to an issue which continues to be of critical importance to the constituents of the city of Redcliffe, and that is the issue of law and order. A recent front-page story in the Courier-Mail exposed Labor's user-pays system to charge Redcliffe businesses $50 for a street patrol policeman on Friday and Saturday nights. Such a proposal clearly highlights the uninterest of the state Labor government in both the needs of small business and the importance of law and order in Queensland. It continues to amaze me that Queensland's Peter Beattie, along with his Labor mates, police minister Barton and state member Hollis, continue to ignore the obvious lack of resources available to police officers, particularly in the Redcliffe region.

Mr Rudd interjecting—

Ms GAMBARO —I wish to state for the record that I have enormous faith in the police officers of Queensland. I hear the member opposite continuing to interject.

Mr Rudd interjecting—

Ms GAMBARO —I know it is a very touchy subject, and I am glad that you are paying attention.

Mr SPEAKER —The member for Griffith, who will be seeking the call, will exercise some restraint; the member for Petrie has the call and will address her remarks through the chair.

Ms GAMBARO —I want to put on the record that I do have enormous faith in the police officers in Queensland, particularly those hardworking members in the Redcliffe police station; however, those good people continue to have major constraints put on them by the local member who continues to flagrantly disregard public calls for much more resources for the area. Such ignorance of a most important issue has led to constituents calling my office on state government policing issues because they are getting a great deal of uninterest from their local member, Mr Ray Hollis, and continuing frustration from the Queensland police force.

I would particularly like to draw to the attention of the House an incident that I was only recently made aware of by a constituent. This true story personifies the critical state of current policing levels on the peninsula. It also illustrates the complete lack of interest of the local member, who is continuing to ignore the safety of his constituents. This particular gentleman rang to say that his car had been stolen two weekends ago from his driveway. Not only was his car stolen but also his first aid training kit. They are the tools of his trade and his livelihood. A week or so following the theft while the gentleman and his wife were walking to the shops—because, of course, they did not have a car—they clearly identified a person driving their car as it passed them by. They then contacted the local police, believing rightly that a car would be dispatched and the offender would be arrested. But the gentleman was told that there was only one car on duty and it was currently tied up. When the couple stated that they could positively identify the suspect and that they could come down to the station straight away and offer a description, the answer was, `No, because we don't have the resources to accommodate this.'

I wrote some four months ago to the local state member asking him what he was going to do about the spate of robberies in the CBD area of Redcliffe. One particular incident a few months ago saw the National Australia Bank flexiteller petrol bombed and burnt out. I understand that to replace that flexiteller would cost $360,000, and that the technology in them is enormous, so I do not think we should ever take for granted the facilities that we have. That incident meant a considerable lack of resources for the people in the area. The complete ignorance and arrogance shown by the local member in regard to the policing levels in the constituency does not stop here. After filing a complaint with the police service and, as any reasonable citizen would do, attempting to bring this incident to the attention of the local member, the local member did not even have the decency to call him. Clearly the resources on the peninsula are totally inadequate. When is the state government going to do something about recognising the concerns of local constituents who clearly are demanding safety?

I do not believe that this will ever happen because the reaction of this current Labor government is to meander along on its current path of doing nothing. There will be total inaction until the next election is called, and that does not help the people of Redcliffe City one iota.