Page 36 - Week 01 - Tuesday, 7 April 1992
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There seem to be a couple of parents who are dissatisfied with the view of the parents and citizens council and the school principal. They are styled in today's Valley View beat-up as the children's safety action group, or some such nonsense, and they are threatening publicly to blockade the Chief Minister's office. This is, as I say, the most irresponsible beat-up I have seen. The facts are clear; the president of the P and C has thanked us for our efforts.
In relation to representations by Ms Ellis and Mr Cornwell, I have directed my officers to look at the issue of what are known as lollipop persons - the thing that many of us are familiar with from when we were children - the lollipop "stop for children" sign. I am able to advise the Assembly that we are getting together a group, comprising my experts, the people castigated by the Valley View, Mr Wood's department, the Catholic Education Office, the Teachers Union, the Australian Federal Police and the Council of Parents and Citizens Association, to advise the Government on whether the lollipop person is a sensible idea.
I can assure Ms Szuty, in response to her question, which is a very proper question to ask, given what was stated on the front page of the paper, that we take the issue of school safety and safety for children most seriously; but we are in a position where the relevant school P and C have thanked us for our efforts and have expressed repeatedly their satisfaction.
Armed Robberies
MRS GRASSBY: My question is to the Attorney-General. Could the Attorney-General tell me what the situation is with armed robberies in the ACT? Are the media reports we seem to get from time to time correct? It seems that the situation of armed robberies, if we are to take notice of the media, is rather serious in the ACT.
Mr Kaine: It is another media beat-up.
MR CONNOLLY: No, Mr Kaine, this is not a media beat-up; the media has actually reported this quite responsibly. It is, however, a Liberal Party beat-up. In relation to armed robberies in the ACT, which, of course, are no laughing matter, there were a series of five incidents over five days in early March. The Government expressed its concern about that. I asked the Chief Police Officer to prepare for me a report on the incidence of armed robbery within this Territory, as well as to take action against the individual problem. The police responded, as they do in these matters, with a task force which has made a number of arrests, and people are before the courts.
The Liberal Party was saying that there was a massive increase in armed robberies, that all of this was on the increase and that no doubt it was somehow the responsibility of the Labor Government and laxity in penalties, or what have you - the usual sort of rhetoric. The advice that I got from the AFP was that during the period of 1 July 1991 to 17 March 1992 - that is, from the beginning of the financial year, which also neatly coincides with the coming to office of the Follett Labor Government - there have been 17 incidents of armed robbery reported to the AFP.
Mr Kaine: Is there some relativity there?
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