Page 1543 - Week 05 - Thursday, 11 May 2006
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
MR PRATT: I am not reflecting on the charges per se. I am simply pointing out that it is now on the record that explosives were found on a property, and they had the capacity to—
MR SPEAKER: Order! There is no need for you to go to evidence that might be brought before the courts in a criminal matter, and I think you should desist.
MR PRATT: Mr Speaker, can I not reflect on the procedures undertaken by the court in this case?
MR SPEAKER: Well, there is a matter before the court—
MR PRATT: In terms of the application for bail?
MR SPEAKER: Some allegations have been made against a person and the person is being charged, and I think it is best left to the courts and not run some sort of a kangaroo court in this place.
MR PRATT: Mr Speaker, I am not debating whether the man has committed an offence or whether he is guilty or not guilty. I am not doing that. I am talking about what police have said they found on a particular property and therefore reflecting on why it was a good thing that the—
MR SPEAKER: I order you not to refer to matters which might come before the courts in Queensland on this matter.
MR PRATT: Okay, Mr Speaker. I refer to a number of cases in this country where police have found weaponry or explosives on people’s properties and have sought to oppose bail. In those particular cases the courts have been wise not to allow bail. That is an example of where sensible authorities have said that chances cannot be taken during the investigation of certain circumstances because of the potential outcome of those crimes, and that is what we are saying here. What we are saying is that where police are concerned that an investigation might find that mass-murder weapons could be used, the police want to make sure that no chances are taken while those investigations are under way.
I also implore the government to understand the need for the safety of police in these issues. If police have reasonable grounds to detain somebody because they feel that that person may be in the process of committing offences which will have catastrophic outcomes, then it is important not only that the state detain that person, pending further investigations, but also that the safety of police be taken into consideration. If people are not going to be detained, if people are going to be given bail, if people are going to be released when it is thought they represent a high risk, then you are asking our police to perhaps go back at a later time and continue the investigation and the arrest process. This is an example of where we may be putting our police at unnecessary risk, bearing in mind that they have made a determination that there is a very high risk to public safety.
Mr Corbell talks about the need for these things to be used as a last resort. The opposition would absolutely agree with that. He talks about the great risk of innocent
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .