No Bang For Our Buck
Minister for Police and Emergency Services, Lisa Neville has finally responded to a request for a cost-breakdown for the $25 million expenditure for new longarm rifles for Victoria Police.
The response arrived 90 days after the matter was raised by Western Victoria MP Bev McArthur, that equates to 60 days overdue, as per the Standing Orders.
The response notes that:
Only 300 rifles were purchased, not 600 rifles as was originally announced in the press release issued on 17 February 2019 (which is now no longer accessible: www.premier.vic.gov.au/new-police-firepower-to-target-major-incidents/).
Each rifle has cost the taxpayer approximately $3908.
$23,827,500 of the $25 million was spent on “specialist user training, organisation-wide training and firearm parts replacements”.
Quotes attributable to Bev McArthur MP:
“It’s suspicious to say the least that the media release is no longer available on the Premier’s website, despite statements from well before 17 February 2019 being still available, going as far back as 2014.”
“The Minister is chopping and changing facts and figures as she goes – first it was $25 million on 600 rifles, now it’s $1 million on 300 rifles and $24 million on training.”
“Each rifle equates to approximately $3908, prior to the purchase of any ancillary equipment. I’m no firearm expert but this sounds far more exorbitant than estimates that I had heard for these rifles of just over $1000.”
“The nearly $24 million which will be spent on training and replacement parts is extraordinary, particularly given that the Minister has conceded only 700 officers will be trained to use them, equating to roughly $34,000 per officer.”
"Lisa Neville absolutely needs to explain who is providing the training, what process was used to choose the training provider and why so much money is being reserved for the training, rather than being spent on firearms as the announcement suggested."
“A different number of firearms, a media release gone missing, an answer 2 months late and most of the money spent on services other than what she told the taxpayer, all raise more eyebrows than they do provide answers.”
“The Minister must now answer my questions on notice which require a more detailed breakdown of these costs.”
“Minister Neville has made a habit of misleading Victorians and ought to come clean about every aspect of this suspect expenditure.”
16 September 2020: Contact – Bev McArthur MP – beverley.mcarthur@parliament.vic.gov.au
Questions on Notice - Tabled 4 August 2020
MRS MCARTHUR — To ask the Minister for Training and Skills (for the Minister for Police and Emergency Services): In relation to the Government's media release dated 17 February 2019 titled ‘New Police Firepower to Target Major Incidents' and the announced $25 million expenditure on 600 longarm rifles for the Operations Response Unit of Victoria Police:
(1) What model firearm was purchased.
(2) What was the cost of each firearm.
(3) How many optical sighting systems were purchased as a part of this expenditure.
(4) What was the cost of each optical sighting system.
(5) How many tactical lights were purchased as a part of this expenditure.
(6) What was the cost of each tactical light.
(7) How many slings were purchased as a part of this expenditure.
(8) What was the cost of each sling.
(9) How many carry cases were purchased as a part of this expenditure.
(10) What was the cost of each carry case.
(11) What other ancillary equipment was purchased as a part of this expenditure.
(12) What was the cost of any other ancillary equipment that was purchased.
MRS MCARTHUR — To ask the Minister for Training and Skills (for the Minister for Police and Emergency Services): In relation to correspondence to the National Secretary of the National Shooting Council dated 16 January 2020 about the ‘Longarm Firearm Announcement' and the discussed $25 million expenditure on 600 longarm rifles for the Operations Response Unit of Victoria Police:
(1) What was ‘the remainder of the $25 million' that was spent on training and firearm parts replacements.
(2) How much expenditure was used on specialist user training.
(3) How many Victoria Police officers participated in the specialist user training.
(4) How much expenditure was used on organisation-wide awareness training.
(5) How many Victoria Police officers participated in organisation-wide awareness training.
(6) What did ‘organisation-wide awareness training' entail.
(7) How much expenditure was used on firearm parts replacements.
(8) How much expenditure was used on the ‘extensive five-day firearm training program'.