Police drug search powers increase under new laws

Deputy Premier and Police Minister Liza Harvey said the new laws would make it easier for WA Police to target and detect meth being distributed through the state's regional road network and postage system.

Mrs Harvey said under the proposed laws, a road suspected of being a drug transit route could be declared a search area for a limited time by a senior police officer, allowing police to search any vehicle travelling through it.

"Meth is rarely manufactured in Western Australia since this government cracked down on backyard laboratories.  However, we believe an amount of meth and other drugs are being transported through WA undetected because WA Police must build a case of reasonable suspicion for every individual vehicle before they can search them," she said.

"The new laws mean police have to have a reasonable suspicion the road network, such as interstate border crossings or roads into remote communities, are being used by drug traffickers."

The Minister said the legislation also targeted freight and courier distribution facilities. She also said the government had consulted with major freight and courier companies, who strongly supported the legislation.

But the plan has been condemned by the WA Police Union who hold concerns the new search and seizure laws will put officers at risk. 

Union President George Tilbury said despite being a major stakeholder in police-related issues, the union was not consulted about the new laws.

“We are pleased the transport industry was consulted, but disappointed that the same courtesy was not extended to the police union by the state government or WA Police, considering our members are the ones expected to enforce these new laws,” Mr Tilbury said.

“The first we heard of these laws was via the media and that is not good enough.”

Mr Tillbury said on face value, any legislation which helps cut WA’s drug scourge is positive however, there are a number of questions which need to be answered before the union can support this legislation.

“Undoubtedly, there needs to be a minimum number of police officers to safely enforce these laws, especially in regional WA, given there are limited resources,” he said. 

“I do not want to see two police officers in the middle of nowhere searching a vehicle suspected of carrying drugs and potentially weapons without the support of other officers nearby. That is simply a recipe for disaster.”

Mr Tilbury said he would be discussing the matter during his next meeting with Police Minister Liza Harvey.

Opposition police minister Michelle Roberts said the introduction of the new laws on the last sitting day of state parliament before a six week break can be described as a desperate act by Liza Harvey to impress voters. 

“The government has been inactive on this issue for eight years and occasionally Liza Harvey is put infront of the media to act tough on meth,” she said. 

“It’s an extraordinary step for the WA Police Union to put out a statement today to say they have not had a single conversation with the government about this topic – that’s just wrong. 

“Our police officers are the workers who need to be supported.”