Fishy?
Political Plots and
Smears?
NSW Legislative Assembly Hansard (Proof)
3rd May 2006
RICHMOND LOCAL AREA COMMAND
Page: 62
Mr THOMAS GEORGE (Lismore) [5.16 p.m.]: Today, in company
with my colleagues
the honourable member for Ballina, Don Page, and the honourable
member for
Clarence, Steve Cansdell, it was my pleasure to entertain the
superintendent
of the Richmond Local Area Command, Bruce Lyons, his partner,
Tracie, their
son, Ethan, his mother, Beryl, and Michael Drury. Our luncheon
celebrated
the presentation today of the Australian Police Medal to Superintendent
Lyons in recognition of his long and outstanding service in
the NSW Police.
In 1988 he received a national medal and in 2003 he was awarded
the New
South Wales Police Medal. Superintendent Lyons is very humble
about his
achievements. I am pleased that the award recognises his dedication,
leadership and support not only for his police colleagues but
also for their
families and the community at large. His distinguished service
has led to
his appointment to the front line of the Richmond Local Area
Command.
That leads me to comment on problems that I have drawn to the
attention of
this House on many previous occasions in relation to the town
of Nimbin and
activities involving the misuse and sale of illicit drugs and
alcohol
problems. Nimbin has been beset with these ongoing problems
since well
before I was elected to this House, and I have been drawing
the Government's
attention to these problems over many years. I recently called
on the
Minister to provide an increased police presence in the area,
and the
Government provided two additional police officers over the
past few weeks.
Since then certain sections of the community have become very
concerned
about policing in Nimbin.
I assure the people of Nimbin that they are no different from
the people of
any other town of this State. Police cannot condone activities
that I have
witnessed and that have been reported to me. I remind this section
of the
community that they have no exemption from the law applying
to activities
they want to undertake. On Saturday the annual Mardi Grass will
be held at
Nimbin. There seems to be an attitude among this certain section
of the
Nimbin population that they have an exemption from the application
of the
law. This attitude has been evident for a few years and these
people seem to
think that because they have continued their campaign over a
period of
years, they are condoned. They cannot understand why suddenly
there are
problems associated with their activities.
As I said, they are certainly not exempt; they are like every
other
community so far as policing is concerned. Recently I heard
a gentleman on
ABC radio say that he was intimidated by two police officers
who asked him
questions about what he was doing in town. When he went home
later he was so
disturbed he could not work for the rest of the day. Let me
turn that around
to when police do their job in Nimbin: Within one or two minutes
of police
arresting someone for a drug or alcohol matter, there would
be 20 or 30
people surrounding the police. That also is intimidation. I
fully support
the police in what they have been doing. It is something that
the community
has pressured me about for a number of years.
I have received inquiries as to why Nimbin people believe they
are different
and should be exempt from any laws. If people want to make a
political
statement about the legalisation of cannabis, there are other
ways of doing
it, rather than flaunting its use at the Nimbin Mardi Grass
festival. I have
continually highlighted that Nimbin has a huge tourist potential,
higher
than any other area in my electorate. Nimbin is one of the prettiest
towns
in the State. People who visit Nimbin cannot get out of their
cars before
their car window is knocked on and they are asked what drugs
they want to
buy. The local community and visitors to the area support me
in my call for
extra police. I pay tribute to the local police-they are doing
a fantastic
job. I thank the members of all the other communities that have
accommodated
the police in doing their job in Nimbin.
Mr Paul McLeay: Who did you have lunch with?
Mr THOMAS GEORGE: Superintendent Bruce Lyons. I will
continue to compliment
the police on the job that they are doing. On behalf of the
electorate of
Lismore, I assure the police that they have the support of the
majority of
the electorate. We will continue to support the police in bringing
Nimbin
back to the town that it should be.
Mr CARL SCULLY (Smithfield-Minister for Police) [5.22 p.m.]:
I do not often
respond to private members' statements, and have not done so
for quite a
while. However, I think it is appropriate on this occasion that
I do so. I
know Superintendent Bruce Lyons of that command. Today at Government
House,
Governor Bashir awarded him an Australian Police Medal for his
distinguished
police service. I congratulate him on that. The honourable member
for
Lismore has spoken to me on a number of occasions about his
concerns with
policing issues in and around Nimbin. I have had discussions
and meetings
with Commander Bruce Lyons.
I support the honourable member for Lismore's strong words
of support for
the policing efforts in that area. In the past few days a large
police
operation was carried out in the area and a number of arrests
were made.
That is a very strong reminder to residents and visitors to
Nimbin that the
Government will not tolerate lawbreaking. If people break the
law, or take
drugs, or misbehave, they will be processed through the courts
and will end
up in gaol. I have reminded Commander Lyons that I do not want
any notion
that Nimbin is somehow a post-70s hippie no-go zone for police,
that we
would tolerate behaviour there that we might not tolerate elsewhere.
That is
complete rubbish. The honourable member for Lismore and Commander
Lyons have
my full support in doing what the police and the community need
to do to
make sure the community knows that.
Nimbin has a different lifestyle, and that is not unlawful.
If people want
to wear clothes or conduct themselves in a way that is a bit
eccentric and a
bit different, there is nothing wrong with that. That is fair
enough,
provided they do it in a way that is appropriate and does not
unfairly
impact on other citizens. I have no objection to that, nor do
the police.
But if people are going to break the law, take drugs and make
a nuisance of
themselves they deserve to be locked up, and they will be.
Thomas George also spoke up earlier, in February
2006...
NIMBIN DRUG USE 28.2.06
Page: 20717
Mr THOMAS GEORGE (Lismore) [5.44 p.m.]: Nimbin is
a wonderful town in
my electorate of Lismore. I will set the scene for honourable
members. I
received a letter that is typical of letters and complaints
that I receive
about Nimbin. The letter reads:
"Dear Sir,
Over the holidays we decided to go to
a few different places on our
travels, and boy did we come across something different. NIMBIN
_
I could not explain to my 14yo daughter
why I have told her all her
life that it is wrong to do drugs and it is illegal as well.
She knows the law about drugs.
My daughter wants to be a lawyer when she finishes school but
was
totally shocked why the law is not carried out in the little
community of
Nimbin????
Three times she was asked if she wanted
to "score" as they put it.
She watched several people smoking joints
in the street.
And then we went into a shop which next
door was a café to smoke all
you like.
We came across police, but could you
tell us why this community has
different rules to the rest of the country???"
The community has had enough. There is blatant drug use and
drug
dealing in Nimbin. The town also has problems with alcohol,
mental health,
homelessness and domestic violence. I sympathise with the majority
of Nimbin
residents who must put up with violent and antisocial behaviour
from a
certain section of the community.
I put it on the record that the call for a greater police
presence in
the area comes from every section of the Nimbin community. I
led a community
delegation that discussed the issue with the previous Minister
for Police.
We realise that it is not just a matter for the police; heads
of departments
in the area have been working together to come up with some
solutions to the
many problems in Nimbin. However, this afternoon I will focus
on the drug
scene in the town. Even when there is a media presence in Nimbin
the cameras
and reporters do not stop people from smoking, and dealing in,
drugs. The
police are being intimidated. Whenever they make an arrest within
five or 10
minutes people arrive to protest against the arrest. They stop
the police
from doing their jobs. At present only three police officers
from a staff of
four are stationed at Nimbin and they cannot do their job.
I have always said that Nimbin is the town in the electorate
of
Lismore that has the most tourism potential. But it needs to
be cleaned up
and controlled. I have received reports about victims of bashings
who are
hospitalised with broken limbs but who will not report the crime
against
them. Why? It is because they are frightened of the consequences
if they
make a report to the police. The crime statistics do not reveal
the real
picture at Nimbin. A local newspaper reported recently:
Magistrates are telling the police not to waste their time
with petty
drug crimes.
That is not acceptable and the community has had enough. Students
come
to me, as their local member, for help. They say, "Every
time we apply for
work in Lismore or the surrounding towns and say that we're
from Nimbin the
interviewer's attitude changes immediately". The residents
of Nimbin need
our help. We have witnessed riots at Cronulla, Dubbo and Macquarie
Fields.
If we do not have a proper police presence to bring law and
order to Nimbin
the New South Wales Government will add Nimbin to that list.
Do not say that
you have not been warned!
I call on the Minister for Police to provide eight police
over and
above the present strength at Nimbin and that of the Richmond
Local Area
Command. Every mayor in the electorate of Lismore is telling
the Richmond
Local Area Command superintendent not to send officers from
their towns to
Nimbin. We cannot expect three police to provide the policing
required at
Nimbin. They are overworked-on many occasions there are no police
on duty.
We need an additional police presence. Community members have
told me that
they are sick of the blatant drug use and drug dealing in Nimbin.
We must
have extra police officers as soon as possible in order to return
law and
order to a community that needs, and deserves, better. [Time
expired.]
