Mrs MAY (10:44 PM) — Firstly, Mr Speaker, I would like to congratulate you on your re-election as Speaker of this great House and I wish you every success. Tonight, I would like to raise what I believe is a very serious problem on the Gold Coast. In fact, we do not have enough police. The shortage of police is constantly brought up in my electorate at community meetings such as Neighbourhood Watch, and the shortage is attracting its fair share of media coverage and public debate. How does the Queensland police minister, Mr McGrady, respond to these concerns? He was reported as saying towards the end of last year, near Christmas, that we have too many police on the Gold Coast. I believe that is an extraordinary statement when the opposite is true, and has been demonstrated on many occasions.

The level of police numbers and resources is a state government matter but it is something that affects every single one of us, and community concerns are growing daily at the increasing prevalence of crime on the Gold Coast. In my electorate of McPherson we are working together as a community to secure more police and resources, such as extending the operating hours of local police stations, many of which close at 5 p.m.

I recently circulated a petition calling on the state government to increase our police numbers, and I wish to thank all those people who signed the petition. I also sent out a survey last year asking people to rank a list of issues that were of concern to them in our community. The results held no surprises and, as I expected, the number one concern was fighting crime and illegal drugs. Interestingly, the number two concern was fighting welfare cheats. I wish to thank the 1,900 people who took the time to let me know of their views by filling out that survey.

The shortage of police is a very real problem. The shortage is compounded by our dynamic population growth of Gold Coast, presently sitting at 3.8 per cent, which far outstrips capital city growth. It is not only population growth but also the increasing number of visitors and tourists that are putting pressure on the police force. The M1 highway from Brisbane to the Gold Coast has improved accessibility to the region, making the trip easier and faster for tourists and daytrippers. Police numbers do not reflect this growth. We are in continual catch-up mode without ever being able to catch up.

The shortfall in police capacity also means that police tend to be reactive rather than proactive. Strategies to pre-empt crime, such as drive-bys in service stations, are being cut back. However, overall lack of forward planning and resources can be seen in our crime rates, with South-East Queensland coming a close second behind metropolitan north for the highest number of offences against property such as unlawful entry, property damage, and motor vehicle theft. So the likelihood of someone breaking and entering your home is an ever-increasing probability.

As I stated earlier—and this really bothers me—the Queensland police minister, Mr McGrady, was quoted last year as saying that the Gold Coast was overstaffed. What a joke! Such statements from the Queensland police minister are alarming and arrogant and bring no joy or comfort to the victims and potential victims of crime or to the frail aged who just want to feel safe in their own homes.

There are seven state Labor members on the Gold Coast and their silence on the issue is deafening. Why are they not lobbying the Beattie government for the constituents? Is it because the Beattie government have too big a majority, or do they just not care about their constituents? They are showing more and more arrogance to the people who supported them in the last election. Our police stations are undermanned, our police officers are overworked, and crime is increasing. I call on the Queensland police minister to recognise the reality of the situation and provide Gold Coast City with the substantive positions that are needed to safeguard the Gold Coast community.