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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1998 Week 11 Hansard (8 December) . . Page.. 3296 ..

MR STANHOPE (continuing):

The other clause that I would mention is clause 18, which amends section 82 of the Firearms Act. As it stands, this section prohibits carrying or using a firearm in or on premises without regard to the safety of others. The Bill amends this section by introducing a "without reasonable excuse" provision to allow what we might call the legitimate use of firearms by, among others, escort officers.

So there are some very significant provisions in this legislation. It is legislation that does, I think, reflect a present reality. I am one of those that actually are very comfortable with members of the police force carrying out these roles; but I realise that the world has changed, that we do these days strive to actually squeeze as much as we can from the police or the enforcement dollar, and that perhaps there are more effective roles for our shrinking number of active policemen and policewomen than the escorting of prisoners and detainees.

There is for me always some quivering in relation to broadening the class of people to whom firearms licences are granted. Of course, in relation to the issuing of these licences, we will be looking at, and we are placing some faith in, the training and the character assessments that are undertaken of people that actually will be escort officers or that otherwise will avail themselves of the capacity to carry firearms as a result of these amendments. So I think there is a significant expression of faith in us as a legislature in actually allowing this sort of extension; but I think it does reflect a modern-day reality. To that extent, the Labor Party will be supporting these two pieces of legislation.

I note that the legislation has been supported by the Australian Law and Justice Association, which represents the court transport unit. I note also that, in our discussions, the AFP Association has indicated to the Labor Party that the AFP Association is supportive of the two pieces of legislation.

There is one comment which I would like to make. I will mention it now to the Attorney and I will perhaps write to the Attorney. I am a member that takes very seriously the reports of the scrutiny of Bills committee. I support the work of the scrutiny of Bills committee. I think it is quite vital. We have had this legislation for only a couple of weeks. This goes back to the point that I made in my comments in relation to the victims of crime Bill. The question of the timeframes available to members to give active consideration to all the implications of this legislation does come home when one is actually presented with a report at 4 o'clock - as we were today with the scrutiny of Bills committee report relevant to these two pieces of legislation.

It does highlight the difficulties which we as a legislature have in dealing with legislation in these timeframes. For the record, I will repeat my concerns that this is an unacceptable way of doing business and that we are not doing the people of the ACT the justice they deserve by actually having to deal with legislation in such tight timeframes. To be now debating, within a few hours of its receipt, the scrutiny of Bills committee report on this particular Bill really is a tough ask.

The scrutiny of Bills committee does make one very pertinent point in relation to these proposals, particularly in relation to the Custodial Escorts Bill. The scrutiny of Bills committee actually records the following comment:

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