Page 164 - Week 01 - Thursday, 9 April 1992
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Commissioner for the Environment
MS ELLIS: My question is addressed to the Minister for the Environment, Land and Planning. How will the Government ensure the independence of the proposed Commissioner for the Environment, and will the Government grant inspection powers to the Commissioner for the Environment?
MR WOOD: Thank you for the question. This was a Labor Party election policy initiative. We raised it. It was a very sensible, modest in terms of cost solution to the problem to ensure the protection of our environment, should it need protection. I think the Government already keeps a close watch on it.
I was a little surprised a week or so ago to hear some anxiety being expressed about the independence of the commissioner. It is our proposal. We are taking it through. The commissioner will be in the nature of an ombudsman. I do not have it with me, but I am quite certain that our election policy said that it would be a statutory, that is independent, position. We have said that it is going to be such and I can assure the questioner and other people that it will be such.
I have indicated that, as soon as I can, I will put out a discussion paper to invite comment on the whole proposal, including that of its assured independence. The question of inspection powers will also be one of the matters that will be discussed at that time.
Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders
MR HUMPHRIES: My question is to the Chief Minister. It is directed to her in her capacity as the Minister responsible for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community in the ACT. I welcome the Chief Minister's statement yesterday on Aboriginal deaths in custody, and in particular welcome the fact that she has taken the time to meet with local Aboriginal groups and become familiar with the problems. I ask the Chief Minister: What number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people find themselves in custody in the ACT each year? Are they incarcerated at a much higher rate than the non-Aboriginal population? How does our rate of deaths in custody compare with the national average?
MS FOLLETT: I thank Mr Humphries for the question. Unfortunately, I think it is fair to say that our data collection on the numbers of Aboriginals in custody in the ACT has not been terribly precise to this point. If you recall my speech yesterday, that is one of the main areas that have to be addressed in terms of our response, the ACT response, to the royal commission's report on Aboriginal deaths in custody. We do need to have much better information on the treatment of Aboriginal people in our justice system in the ACT and on the numbers involved, and that is one of the areas where the Government will be taking action as a result of that royal commission report.
Mr Humphries has asked me also a question on the numbers of Aboriginal deaths in custody in the ACT. There is a question, Madam Speaker, as to one death in custody. There was a death in custody some time ago, some years ago, and there
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