A commitment by the Rann Government and Minister Karlene Maywald that the relocated Loxton police station would be open during business hours has become just another Rann/Maywald broken promise, Shadow Police Minister Rob Lucas said today.
“The current Minister for Police, Paul Holloway, was asked questions in Parliament today about the broken promise and he was unable to explain why the Rann Government and Minister Maywald had broken their promise,” Mr Lucas said.
“The Police Officer in Charge of the Riverland Local Service Area has confirmed to local media that a 0.5 administrative position has been withdrawn from the Loxton police station.
“He has also confirmed that, in the absence of the clerk, the Loxton police station’s doors will be closed during business hours if officers are required to attend incidents away from the station.
“This directly contradicts commitments given by the former Police Minister, and the Rann Government Minister representing the area.
“Extra administrative support is also being put into Loxton station to ensure that the opening hours are increased from being a part-time station … opening only 18 ¾ hours per week, to a full-time station, opening 40 hours per week.”
Police Minister Foley, Hansard, 20 September 2005
“…we’ve now secured guaranteed opening hours of nine to five (regardless of whether or not the police are called out)”
Karlene Maywald, Rann Minister, The Loxton News, 21 September 2005
“The Rann Government needs to explain to the people of Loxton why, so soon after the election, it has broken its promises in relation to the Loxton police station.
“Minister Maywald is now claiming that this is an ‘operational’ matter for SAPOL, yet before the election she claimed credit for the promise and in fact told The Loxton News last year that she had phoned Mr Foley and ‘demanded’ that it be open 9-to-5 on weekdays.
“Sadly, this is just the latest in a long list of Rann Government broken promises, that include commitments to quarantine health, education, police, correctional services, and families and communities from its promised 2% ‘efficiency dividend’.”