Overnight shooting the 94th under O'Farrell
Posted: Monday, 23 April 2012 | By: John Robertson
A Merrylands unit block has been sprayed with bullets overnight in the 13th shooting to hit the area in less than one year – and bringing the total number of shootings under the O'Farrell Government to 94.
"Families are being forced to wake up each morning to the news of yet another shooting on Sydney streets,” Opposition Leader, John Robertson said today.
"The suburbs of western and south western Sydney are being shot up night after night. In Merrylands alone, there have been 13 shootings in less than one year.
"The families of western and south western Sydney need a government that will take real and decisive action and send in the resources to end this gun crime.
"Instead, the O'Farrell Government's inaction is sending the message to these criminals that they can take the law into their own hands.
“Rather than taking on these gangs, the O‟Farrell Government is letting them rule the streets.
“We know that gangs are involved in many of these shootings – why aren‟t they being outlawed?
"The Premier has the power to outlaw these gangs, but instead has chosen to re-announce laws to ban bikie colours from Kings Cross – which he first announced back in June 2011 and then failed to implement.
“The Premier‟s claim that members of declared organisations will be banned from involvement in tattoo parlours is useless – because his government has failed to declare any organisation or gang as „outlawed‟.
“Why isn't Mr O'Farrell outlawing bikie gangs known to be involved in criminal activity and locking up anyone associated with them? Why is he leaving Greater Sydney police stations 242 officers understaffed?"
Shadow Police Minister, Nathan Rees said: "There is no political leadership and no political will from the O'Farrell Government to fix the gang wars playing out on Sydney streets."
"It shouldn‟t take the death or injury of an innocent bystander to force the O'Farrell Government into action.
"If 94 shootings had hit the North Shore, we would be seeing police numbers boosted to epic proportions and gangs outlawed.
"By comparison, the Premier seems to think a certain level of crime in the west and south west is acceptable."
Tags: Barry O'Farrell, crime, John Robertson, law and order, Merrylands, police, shootings, Western Sydney