Libby Mettam: Labor dawdles as criminals win

The criminals are winning in Western Australia.

The rate of crime has been climbing for eight years while the number of police per head of population has been decreasing.

The Cook Government has stood by without offering a single, substantive or effective policy to mitigate, control or contain crime or meaningfully increase the number of police officers on our streets.

Last week, along with shadow police minister Peter Collier, I launched the WA Liberals $500 million community policing policy to restore safety and security across WA.

Most consequentially, it will put 300 police on the street from day one of a Liberal government.

The soaring rate of violent crime became a tragic tableau on the streets of Perth this week.

A WA father was killed when he was allegedly struck by a car whose driver has been charged with his murder and further offences relating to an alleged attempted machete attack on another man.

His death and news footage of another man taking cover in his car while being threatened with a machete rocked many West Australians. The reality of violent crime on our streets is a hard landing.

Even harder to reconcile is the reality that this incident was just one of more than 280,000 incidents of violent crime committed in WA this year.

Criminal offences in WA have surged, increasing from 230,719 in 2020 to a staggering 283,171 in 2024, with regional areas facing their highest crime rates on record. Domestic violence incidents have spiked by 44 per cent compared to the five-year average.

Labor’s promise of 950 additional officers since June 2020 has fallen woefully short, creating a deficit of 458 officers across WA.

A Liberal government would immediately put more police officers on our streets.

We have listened and we know police officers want a fair wage, a career path, a supportive work environment and community engagement and mitigation strategies.

The Liberal law and order policy commits an immediate $218.4 million to enable 3000 officers to undertake an additional eight hours of overtime per fortnight.

This will instantly put the equivalent of 300 officers on the beat across our communities, significantly enhancing the police presence in areas most affected by crime and anti-social behaviour.

Officers participating in this initiative have the potential to earn an additional $18,000 a year, offering a meaningful financial incentive for those willing to serve extra hours in support of community safety.

The Cook Labor Government has dropped the ball on police retention, allowing attrition rates to soar and leaving communities vulnerable.

Over the past two and a half years, more than 1000 officers have resigned — far surpassing the usual annual rate of 150 and setting a troubling new standard for turnover in our police force.

In addition to providing a more supportive workplace, a Liberal government would incentivise long service by increasing superannuation for police serving five years or more by 2 per cent and by another 3 per cent for those who serve 10 years and longer.

There are deep-seated cultural issues within the force contributing the high attrition rate. Officers are feeling unsupported and demoralised, leading many to seek alternative careers.

The Liberals say it’s time to review, remodel, and reset the focus and role of policing in WA.

A Liberal government would commission highly qualified experts — independent and external to WA — to conduct a comprehensive review of the WA Police Force.

This review, to be completed within the first six months of a Liberal term, will draw on input from the WA community, the policing workforce, and contemporary insights from policing models both nationally and internationally.

Implementation of the review’s findings will be swift and targeted to the priorities that matter most to the community.

Demand for mental health support for officers is soaring, with more than 3000 officers seeking assistance in the past two years alone, compared to 777 in 2019.

A Liberal government would significantly increase welfare services for serving and former police officers; increase the number of psychologists and chaplains and provide funding for external psychological care to ensure timely help for officers.

Only systemic change within the force will return it to its mantle as a preferred employer and an organisation where officers can hope to be supported to build a lasting and meaningful career.

The growing rate of youth crime and disengagement across WA also highlights the need for innovative, preventative approaches.

The WA Liberal Party is committed to reversing this trend through a school engagement officers initiative.

This $4.5 million commitment will fund the part-time employment (three days a week) of 20 retiring police officers who will work specifically with disengaged youth.

It’s time to ensure that our communities, our schools, and our streets are protected.

Only a WA Liberal government will deliver the tools, resources, and leadership to make this vision a reality.

Libby Mettam is the leader of the Liberals