Large
09-06-2010, 08:20 PM
Speeding motorists to the rescue
GEESCHE JACOBSEN
June 9, 2010
MORE mobile speed cameras will double the revenue the state government collects in fines over the next two years.
While the government expects to raise $291 million in fines this financial year, this should rise to $428 million in 2010-11 and $570 million the next year. The budget papers attribute the increase to the "mobile speed camera program and a 5 per cent increase in speeding fines".
Other traffic fines collected by police are expected to amount to $590 million, a $10 million increase on this financial year.
Two hundred and fifty police officers will start work in January, two months before the state election. Nevertheless, police will receive only $11 million more next year to pay for staff.
While expenditure in the justice, attorney-general and police departments will rise significantly on the previous budgets, employee expenses are barely above the actual figures projected for this year.
A spokeswoman for the Police Minister, Michael Daley, said this year's budget blow-out was due to a higher-than-expected retention rate and higher workers' compensation premiums.
The opposition police spokesman, Mike Gallacher, criticised the "barely 2 per cent" rise in the police operating budget as "an insignificant increase".
The Police Association president, Scott Weber, said the government's wages policy would make it harder to retain skilled police officers in the future.
The budget papers predict a rise in property crime and a smaller increase in crime against individuals compared with the expected result this year.
Alcohol-related violence was higher than predicted this year, but is expected to fall next financial year.
The budget of the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions will rise by 2.8 per cent – barely above inflation.
And there is the added problem of having enough prosecutors available to cover court cases this year.
But budget papers indicate that the number of court cases finalised in the Supreme and District courts has fallen compared with last year, while cases concluded in local courts rose marginally. A spokesman said this was due, partly, to a drop in mortgage and company defaults.
Two new large court rooms will be built in the Downing Centre for cases with many defendants as part of the revamp of the complex, and funding has been provided for the new courts in Newcastle and Armidale.
Next financial year 10,800 inmates are expected to be housed in NSW prisons, as the Department of Corrective Services receives funding for 850 new prison beds at Cessnock and Nowra.
Its operating budget will rise by 3.2 per cent.
And the government has increased funding for diversionary programs to keep offenders out of prison, and to reduce recidivism rates.
SMH-09/06/10
GEESCHE JACOBSEN
June 9, 2010
MORE mobile speed cameras will double the revenue the state government collects in fines over the next two years.
While the government expects to raise $291 million in fines this financial year, this should rise to $428 million in 2010-11 and $570 million the next year. The budget papers attribute the increase to the "mobile speed camera program and a 5 per cent increase in speeding fines".
Other traffic fines collected by police are expected to amount to $590 million, a $10 million increase on this financial year.
Two hundred and fifty police officers will start work in January, two months before the state election. Nevertheless, police will receive only $11 million more next year to pay for staff.
While expenditure in the justice, attorney-general and police departments will rise significantly on the previous budgets, employee expenses are barely above the actual figures projected for this year.
A spokeswoman for the Police Minister, Michael Daley, said this year's budget blow-out was due to a higher-than-expected retention rate and higher workers' compensation premiums.
The opposition police spokesman, Mike Gallacher, criticised the "barely 2 per cent" rise in the police operating budget as "an insignificant increase".
The Police Association president, Scott Weber, said the government's wages policy would make it harder to retain skilled police officers in the future.
The budget papers predict a rise in property crime and a smaller increase in crime against individuals compared with the expected result this year.
Alcohol-related violence was higher than predicted this year, but is expected to fall next financial year.
The budget of the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions will rise by 2.8 per cent – barely above inflation.
And there is the added problem of having enough prosecutors available to cover court cases this year.
But budget papers indicate that the number of court cases finalised in the Supreme and District courts has fallen compared with last year, while cases concluded in local courts rose marginally. A spokesman said this was due, partly, to a drop in mortgage and company defaults.
Two new large court rooms will be built in the Downing Centre for cases with many defendants as part of the revamp of the complex, and funding has been provided for the new courts in Newcastle and Armidale.
Next financial year 10,800 inmates are expected to be housed in NSW prisons, as the Department of Corrective Services receives funding for 850 new prison beds at Cessnock and Nowra.
Its operating budget will rise by 3.2 per cent.
And the government has increased funding for diversionary programs to keep offenders out of prison, and to reduce recidivism rates.
SMH-09/06/10