Paul Papalia's resignation from Western Australia's parliament on July 19, 2026, has left several key policies, particularly in the Kimberley region, in a state of uncertainty. During his tenure, Papalia held influential portfolios and implemented reforms targeting youth crime, corrections, and alcohol-related harm in remote communities.

Papalia was known for his tough-on-crime stance, once stating that some children involved in criminal activity "belong in detention" following a series of offences in Kununurra last year. In 2022, under rising youth crime in the Kimberley, Operation Regional Shield (OPS) was introduced to deploy metropolitan officers to regional areas. However, WA Police Union president Simone Taplin criticized OPS as a "band-aid solution," questioning its sustainability, especially since officers sent to the Kimberley were not backfilled.

Earlier in 2026, Papalia announced that Derby and Broome experienced a 26% reduction in alcohol-related crime within 12 months of introducing alcohol restrictions, with family and domestic violence also declining by similar margins.

Despite these reported improvements, concerns remain about systemic issues. Sally Oliver highlighted urgent needs to address failures in the corrective system, noting Kimberley's prison overcrowding has led to prolonged lockdowns and limited social visits for inmates sent off country. She also pointed out the inadequacy of forensic facilities, which have only 30 beds despite over 7,000 incarcerated individuals, half of whom have mental health issues.

Critics have expressed doubts about Papalia's impact on vulnerable populations, with some stating, "I don't think he's done very much for the vulnerable people I work with."

As Papalia's policies continue to unfold, his successors face the challenge of determining whether these reforms will produce lasting change in WA's northern communities.

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