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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 7 Hansard (26 June) . . Page.. 2203 ..

MS TUCKER (continuing):

the Privacy Commissioner is developing a code which, when it is developed, can be used as a blueprint. There are issues regarding privacy which need to be given serious consideration. I do not think there is any harm in Mr Humphries taking on overarching privacy legislation before a trial such as this is entered into. There are other good reasons for him to do this.

Mr Humphries thinks existing complaints mechanisms could be used for this trial. I noticed in the Canberra Times - I think it was last week - an article about just how pressured the Ombudsman is. Philippa Smith's office is under extreme strain, and they cannot take on any more, apparently. However, they have to take on the complaints that are given to them if it looks as if they require investigation. That is also not very reassuring.

Mr Humphries has upset members here. This report was the result of an Assembly committee inquiry and it needs to be taken very seriously for that reason. As the chair of a committee, I am concerned when I do not see the Government take recommendations very seriously. A large amount of work and time is invested not only by members of this place but also by the community when they cooperate with members of this place to produce these reports. It is disrespectful of their work also.

I notice that Mr Wood is circulating a motion to have the Legal Affairs Committee look at juvenile crime. A number of incidents have been reported in the media. I do not think they were at Civic. They were in Dickson and O'Connor. There are serious concerns about crime in the ACT. I share Mr Humphries's concern about this. I see that Mr Wood is concerned. He wants an inquiry into it. I think we need to be a little bit careful about rushing into cameras, not only for the reasons that have been explained already by other members but also because there is money coming from the Commonwealth, I understand, to look at crime prevention. I think there have already been some utterances from Mr Humphries that he would like the money to go towards the cameras.

Maybe we should wait and see what Mr Wood comes up with. I am also doing an inquiry into children at risk which, to some degree, will overlap Mr Wood's inquiry. There is a lot of work going on in this place, committee work as well, which I hope the Government does give serious attention to. I share the concern of the other members here that you have not taken seriously enough two very critical recommendations of this report. I also believe, as I have said, that you need to take responsibility for privacy in the general sense in the ACT, for the private sector anyway.

MR HUMPHRIES (Attorney-General) (3.47): Mr Speaker, in speaking against this amendment, I want to respond to a few issues that have been raised by members. I particularly want to respond to the assertions that have been made about what has been described as disrespect for the work of committee members and contempt of the Assembly in ignoring recommendations, and other harsh comments about the Government's response to the report The Electronic Eye. Before members get too excited about this theme of the Government being in contempt of the Assembly, let me remind members that it is extremely common, and has been ever since this Assembly was begun, for governments to reject at least some of the recommendations contained in Assembly committee reports. Indeed, it has also been the case that the Assembly as a whole has rejected recommendations of Assembly committee reports on occasions - - -

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