• $11m investment in an innovative and comprehensive WA Liberal Plan to crack down on youth crime and keep West Australians safe.

• $2m to plan on-country Juvenile Rehabilitation Centres in regional WA.

• Ongoing commitment to the School Policing Programme, two Behaviour Centres and $4m for School Support truancy program.

• WA Liberals the only party committed to not raising the age of criminal responsibility.

The WA Liberals have today reaffirmed their commitment to averting the youth justice crisis allowed to fester under WA Labor, according to Libby Mettam and Peter Collier.

“Crime and anti-social behaviour are out of control across Western Australia – and according to the Government’s own data, there has quite literally never been such a severe crime crisis in regional WA as there is right now under Roger Cook,” said Ms Mettam.

“The WA Liberals are committed to cracking down on crime and making our communities safer, starting with 300 additional police on the beat through overtime, from day one, with 500 additional officers over five years.

“But we also need to act before young people are known to WA Police, to ensure they aren’t caught up in the criminal justice system and are diverted before they start offending.

“That’s why we’ve already committed to two Behaviour Centres, our School Policing Programme, and are today committing to planning two Regional Juvenile Rehabilitation Centres.”

Drawing on our proud track record of assisting disengaged youth, Shadow Minister for Police Peter Collier said the WA Liberals’ innovative policies would help rehabilitate young people already known to the justice system, while addressing youth crime before it becomes an issue.

“The WA Liberals will commit $2 million to plan for the establishment of two additional Juvenile Rehabilitation Centres, both in regional WA — preferably with one in the Kimberley and one in the Goldfields.

“Data shows a significant number of the juveniles entering the system from the regions are Aboriginal — putting facilities on-country will help shift the approach towards a rehabilitative focus and will increase the overall effectiveness of our youth justice facilities.”

Mr Collier said there also needed to be intervention for disengaged youth before they enter the youth justice system.

“There are an increasing number of disengaged students in our schools, many of whom will transition into the juvenile justice system and ultimately a life of crime,” said Mr Collier.

“The WA Liberals will engage 20 retiring police officers to work three days a week directly with these students throughout Western Australia.

“The School Engagement Officer Programme will be developed by the Department of Education and WA Police and will involve pastoral care, respectful relationships and mentoring for this challenging cohort of students.

“The WA Liberals will also invest $500,000 for a business case to establish an additional two Behaviour Centres for public school students.”

The two centres would supplement the existing centre established by the Barnett Government in Midland.

“We anticipate one would be located north of the river, and one south,” said Mr Collier.

“The centre in Midland has been incredibly effective in providing curriculum and support services tailored to the challenging needs of these students.”

Libby Mettam said the data showed truancy and behavioural issues in schools was at breaking points.

“90 per cent of teachers are the victims of violence at least once per term and 86 per cent of teachers have considered walking away from the classroom because, under Labor, they’re not safe at work,” said Ms Mettam.

“That is at crisis levels —  we cannot accept this as normal.

“Between our School Engagement Program, our Student Support Service, and our Behaviour Centres, we are committed to addressing truancy, making sure kids are in school, and managing those with complex behaviours.

“This is not only about breaking the cycle of youth crime, but also about keeping teachers and other students safe in the classroom.”

Under the WA Liberals’ School Support Service – a targeted truancy program – three trial sites would be rolled out, each with one social worker acting as team leader, supported by four student support officers. The program is designed to take the pressure of principals, deputies, and teachers, letting teachers teach, with non-academic issues to be managed by the School Support Service team.

WA Liberal Candidate for Kalgoorlie, Rowena Olsen, welcomed the announcement.

“Crime and youth crime especially is out of control across the Goldfields and regional WA,” said Ms Olsen.

“If we can break the cycle before kids turn into serious, repeat offenders, it will make all our communities a much safer place.

“Having an on-country facility right here in the Goldfields recognises how bad things have become locally and will immediately help make the most difference to local kids.

Mr Collier reiterated the WA Liberals position on Unit 18.

“The WA Liberal Party remain committed to shutting Unit 18 within 100 days of Government. The small number of juveniles located in Unit 18 will be moved to a secure facility at Banksia Hill,” said Mr Collier.

“Banksia Hill will be maintained for the most serious offenders.”

Ms Mettam said that only the WA Liberals had a suite of innovative policies designed to crackdown on crime across WA.

“WA Labor has been missing in action when it comes to cracking down on crime across the state,” said Ms Mettam.

“While WA Labor is desperate to raise the age of criminal responsibility, only the WA Liberals have committed to not touching it.

“Only the WA Liberals have a comprehensive plan to prevent crime throughout the entire offending journey, from early intervention with kids, to more police on the beat, to putting tougher sentencing and parole conditions in place.”