Page 2748 - Week 09 - Thursday, 27 September 2007
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This is a very serious matter. In other jurisdictions, victims have experienced serious head injuries, with some being put in comas. It is only a matter of time before we have a bus driver, a passenger or the occupant or driver of a car hospitalised with serious head injuries or worse. In risk management terms, Mr Speaker, you would have to agree with this analysis. As I said, we have not really seen any action by the government, nor do we have any confidence whatsoever that any urgent action will be taken to address this matter.
If the government had demonstrated that they were taking action, the opposition would be satisfied. You cannot resolve these sorts of issues overnight. The trend will continue for a very long time. But at least if the government were demonstrating that they had taken a range of measures, the opposition would simply provide whatever assistance we could to the government and support them on this issue, because it is an issue which is deeply alarming to everyone in the community.
There has been an increase in this behaviour all over Australia. In New South Wales alone, there have been 50 arrests in relation to rock throwing since January this year. This high level of incidents prompted the Iemma government recently to announce increased penalties, to a minimum of 10 years and a maximum of 14 years jail time. New South Wales is sending out a strong message that rock throwing is unacceptable behaviour. Please take note of this, Mr Speaker and government members: the Iemma government is backing up its education and information program with strong legislative action. The opposition proposes that the government here should do the same. Let us at least see that proposition tested by a select committee inquiry. However, we urge the government to proceed now, and not to wait for a select committee inquiry, in providing stiffer legislation, in order to send a strong message.
The government is running a reasonably effective education and information program about the dangers of rock throwing and concrete block dropping, but that education program is toothless unless it is backed up with strong legislation to underscore the importance of that education and information program. And that is what is not happening.
During the last sitting, Minister Hargreaves threw his hands in the air when we questioned him about what was being done to protect ACTION transport against rock throwing. His response was, “What more can I do?” There is plenty that can be at least investigated. He mused that the government might look at reinforcing windows on buses. He said this would cost in the vicinity of half a million dollars. He said that the government might be considering that. We have moved past the point of whether we might consider such things. Action should have commenced before now. If this problem has been with us for six or more months and there have been 58 incidents, why have we not seen clear steps undertaken to date?
Let us look at some of the actions which have been considered in other jurisdictions which share the same sorts of problems. I will talk about Taree in New South Wales, although I stress that the Taree case is a particular case and one that we cannot necessarily draw parallels with in the ACT. In south Taree, a particular area is involved; therefore it is geographically tight, it is much easier to police and it is easier
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