The Palaszczuk Government has delivered a record Police Budget for 2019-20.
A total of $2.6 billion has been allocated for the Queensland Police Service’s operating and capital budget spending.
It demonstrates the government’s commitment to delivering the frontline services that Queenslanders need.
Among the budget highlights, additional funding has been allocated to make Queensland’s unique Taskforce Orion a permanent fixture in the Queensland Police Service.
Taskforce Orion in conjunction with Taskforce Argos leads the world in hunting down on-line child sexual abuse predators and setting free the victims.
A further $2.3 million over the next four years and ongoing funding of $685,000 a year will be allocated to integrate Taskforce Orion permanently into the QPS Child Abuse and Sexual Crime Group to tackle the making and distribution of child exploitation material in Queensland.
There’s also additional funding to continue the boost to Police efforts to combat organised crime and Outlaw Motorcycle gangs.
Taskforce Maxima has led the way tackling organised crime so that more than a quarter of bikies are now behind bars.
And there are no bikie clubhouses operating in Queensland anymore.
Five million dollars has been committed to tackling organised crime and Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs (OMCG).
Capabilities will also be enhanced to target alcohol-fuelled violence and the drug ice.
Funding in the 2019-20 budget includes $28 million to continue work on the Counter-Terrorism and Community Safety Training Centre at Wacol with a further allocation to increase Special Emergency Response Team (SERT) numbers in Brisbane and Cairns.
The government has allocated $10.8 million to complete a new police facility in Arundel and $4.9 million to continue work on a replacement police facility at Pormpuraaw.
Increased funding of $1.8 million has also been allocated to the highly successful Project Booyah (Framing the Future) initiative to provide community-based youth support and mentorship across nine locations throughout Queensland.
The award winning Project Booyah is making a real difference, turning young people’s lives around, getting them back into education and work, and keeping them out of detention.
Police Minister Mark Ryan said the funding in this budget would be used by the QPS to enhance their ability to keep Queenslanders safe.
“Increasing the ability of our hardworking QPS officers to address crime and harm in the community is a top priority for the Palaszczuk Government,” he said.
“This additional funding that we are providing covers a significant cross-section of the organisation and will allow our officers to continue to serve the community and reduce crime and harm.
“We are also committed to upgrading police facilities for our police which will enhance working conditions and service delivery for communities right across Queensland.
“Work on the Counter-Terrorism and Community Safety Training Centre at Wacol continues, and we look forward to it opening next year to provide our officers with a world-class training facility.
“Further investment by the Government in infrastructure projects for the QPS will see our officers equipped with modern facilities that will enhance the ability for them to serve the community,” Minister Ryan said.
