WA's police commissioner has defended the way police responded to concerns raised by the wife and daughter of Floreat double murderer Mark Bombara prior to the shootings, saying they "did exactly what their policy says they should do".
Live Moment
WA's Police Commissioner Col Blanch and Police Minister Paul Papalia are speaking about the murders of Jennifer Petelczyc and her teenage daughter Gretl in their Floreat home by Mark Bombara.
Minister says he hasn't spoken to family
By Andrea Mayes
Answering his last few questions of the day, Mr Papalia says he has not had any contact with Ariel Bombara or her family since she released her statement yesterday.
"No, I haven't – I wouldn't impose on people, but if anyone wants to speak to me who is deeply impacted by these events, I'd welcome their contact," he says.
Jennifer Petelczyc and her 18-year-old daughter Gretl were gunned down in their own home on Friday night by a 62-year-old man who was looking for his estranged wife.
Mark Bombara went to the Petelczyc's house on Friday afternoon and shot the two women dead before killing himself.
Yesterday his daughter Ariel spoke out about her father's violent history, detailing how she and her mother tried to get help from police on three occasions but were "repeatedly failed".
Police Commissioner Col Blanch said it was wrong to say police didn't act on the women's concerns.
"To say nothing was done is wrong. A lot was done," Mr Blanch told ABC Radio Perth.
Ms Bombara said she told police "my mother and I felt there was a real and imminent threat to our lives" and raised concerns about her father's gun collection, including that a handgun was missing.
Loading...
She said she asked for a 72-hour restraining order be taken out against her father, but police refused.
But Commissioner Blanch defended the way officers handled the situation, saying correct policy was followed.
"When the first report was made police took a family violence information report, an incident report, as per our policy," he says.
"That immediately triggers … a risk assessment based on what was known at the time, it sends information to the family and domestic violence response team so they can triage that information.
"That was done. there was a triage meeting. It was referred to a third party through the Department of Communities for action. All of those things did happen."
He stressed that in his view, all three times the Bombara family raised concerns "police did exactly what their policy says they should do".
Police response 'seems inadequate': Federal Minister
Federal Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth and WA Liberal Leader Libby Mettam were among those calling for police to do better.
Ms Rishworth said WA Police's response seemed inadequate, while Ms Mettam called for an independent inquiry to be launched in addition to the police internal review announced yesterday.
Ms Rishworth is part of an urgent review into the prevention of domestic violence and said the family of the gunman were let down by the response of police.
"It certainly seems that she did not get the response that she needed from police," she told ABC News Breakfast this morning.
"And so, it's right that the West Australian government looks into this and it's right that the Police Commissioner looks at what could have been done to prevent this tragedy."
Ms Rishworth noted the bravery of Ms Bombara for speaking out and said her call for action was "incredibly powerful".
"I think it [speaking] requires an enormous bravery, particularly at a time where she would be grieving to speak up and make these comments," she said.
"Her urge for action is very powerful."
No formal complaints received
WA Police Minister Paul Papalia said police did not have any "formal record" of complaint from Ariel Bombara and her mother about family violence in the weeks leading up to the shootings.
"There were no formal reports ... the police did not have a record of any incidents or offences or reports from the family with respect to him [Bombara] prior to that time," he said.
"Until he conducted this act, as far as I know, there was no indication that he was a FDV offender or anything of that nature."
However, he said the family's interaction with the police would form part of an internal investigation into what happened announced by the police commissioner yesterday following Ms Bombara's interview.
Call for independent probe
Liberal leader Libby Mettam said Mr Papalia's account of the police response to the Bombara women's concerns "directly contradicts" Ariel Bombara's account and said an independent investigation needed to be conducted as well as the internal police probe.
"As a priority, the inquiry must be looking at the allegations that have been made by Ariel Bombara," she said.
"Quite clearly it needs to also point to how similar situations could also be avoided. We need to ensure that when women and families raise the alarm about the safety of themselves, that they are heard, they are listened to. And there is a prompt response.
"Ariel's statement, where she's raising the need for firearms to be seized at the hands of her murderous father, raise real questions about why those concerns weren't heard at the same time."
Loading
Posted, updated
