O'Farrell must offer cash rewards for info on shootings
Posted: Tuesday, 10 April 2012 | By: John Robertson ,Nathan Rees
The O'Farrell Government should introduce cash rewards for information leading to the arrest and conviction of individuals involved in the recent spate of shootings – following police expressing their frustration with the wall of silence they are facing after eight shootings in eight days.
The NSW Labor Opposition also renewed calls for the Premier to call a crisis meeting to deal with the spate of shootings that terrorised Sydney over the long weekend.
There have now been 79 shootings on Barry O'Farrell's watch, including eight shootings in the past eight days.
"Police are facing a wall of silence when it comes to the shootings plaguing Sydney streets," Opposition Leader John Robertson said today.
"Cash rewards of up to $50,000 should be offered to any person who comes forward with information that leads to the arrest and conviction of these gangland thugs.
"Over the weekend, we have seen police go public with their frustration with the wall of silence, and call on members of the public, relatives and associates to come forward with any information they may have.
"We need to give people a reason to speak out and break the code of silence.
"The O'Farrell Government promised police would have the powers to compel witnesses to talk, but the two men who were shot in recent days are still refusing to speak.
"The 'business as usual' approach isn't working – our police need cash rewards to bring an end to the escalating gangland violence."
Shadow Police Minister, Nathan Rees said: "Barry O'Farrell is refusing to take the gangland war playing out on Sydney streets seriously."
"At the same time families have been terrorised by these shootings, Sydney police stations have been left critically understaffed by 242 officers.
"There are people living in these neighbourhoods who have information that could assist police – but they are keeping their mouths shut. We need cash rewards to encourage people to come forward and talk.
"It shouldn’t take an innocent bystander to be injured or killed for the Premier to take these shootings seriously."
Tags: Barry O'Farrell, crime, John Robertson, law and order, police, shootings