WA Liberal Leader Zak Kirkup promises more police amid fears Scarborough could become ‘new Northbridge’

Liberal Leader Zak Kirkup says Scarborough risks becoming the “new Northbridge,” promising more police officers to counter the “concerning” violence in the suburb. Mr Kirkup’s comments come after thewest.com.au published photographs today of alcohol-fuelled violence in the beachside precinct. “I was very concerned by what I read...today,” Mr Kirkup said. “We don’t want it [Scarborough] to turn into a Northbridge. We don’t want it to turn into a place where families can no longer go and feel safe and comfortable.” The beachside strip has long been popular with revellers but the summer has seen an influx of rowdy drinkers and party buses. Mr Kirkup claimed that such crime could only be curbed by providing police with more resources to patrol the area. “The reality is, we’re seeing what’s happened in Scarborough happen across our State. It’s happening in Broome, it’s happening on the foreshore of Mandurah, it’s happening in Bunbury,” he claimed. “Our police are under-resourced here in Western Australia. They deserve a government that supports them and backs them in.” The Liberal leader promises that, if elected, his party will recruit 1200 new police and invest half a billion dollars in WA police resources. Responding to the images yesterday, a State Government spokeswoman labelled the violent scenes in Scarborough as “completely unacceptable” and “disgraceful” – but promised that WA police had a “large contingent” that were able to respond quickly. In October, the State Government announced that WA Police would recruit 800 new officers over the next four years. Mr Kirkup's comments on Scarborough came as he announced his party's new policy of mandatory minimum sentences for methamphetamine dealers – a group he called “suburban serial killers.” Dealers caught with up to 10g would face at least a year in jail, while those arrested with between 10g and 50g would be jailed for a minimum of five years. “I think there is a problem with both drug and alcohol crime across Western Australia because unfortunately, we don't have the police and the resources to make sure we can catch those who are acting so violently,” he said.