Page 2709 - Week 07 - Tuesday, 29 June 2010

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Mr Corbell: The police made a submission on the exposure draft.

MR STANHOPE: That is what I mean. I was about to say, as the attorney mentions, there is a detailed submission from a number of ACT government agencies, including ACT Policing, on the discussion paper. I would be more than happy, Ms Bresnan, to provide you with a copy of the outcomes of that and I hope you take them into account in your deliberations on the bill tomorrow, which you have publicly promised that you will go through.

I must say, Ms Bresnan, that I gave your comments to the ABC, I think, just last week when I sought, again, to raise these particular issues and said that I thought it important that we take advice from people like the Chief Police Officer and the human rights commissioner and you responded—and I quote from your response about the need for some confirmation around the workability of the legislation and whether or not it might be human rights compliant—that there is nothing wrong with the Liberals’ bill and it’s simply time to move ahead. This is the Liberals-Green approach to issues around whether or not serious criminal law with invasive procedures is fine. You then go on further to say that, to Mr Hanson’s credit, he has consulted widely on the legislation—except with people who know what they are talking about. (Time expired.)

MR SPEAKER: Ms Porter, a supplementary?

MS PORTER: Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. Chief Minister, are you aware of any alternative views on this scheme?

MR STANHOPE: Yes, I am. I am aware, most particularly, of views by Ms Bresnan—which I have just referred to—that there is absolutely nothing wrong with the Liberal-Greens bill and why do we not just get on and pass it? I am aware of views expressed by—

Mr Coe interjecting—

MR SPEAKER: Order! Chief Minister, one moment, please. Mr Coe, you are now warned. I have made interventions a number of times about shouting across the chamber not being acceptable. You are warned. Chief Minister, you have the floor.

MR STANHOPE: I am aware of comments expressed on this by Mr Hanson, where he basically repeats the mantra that the Greens and the Liberals have adopted in relation to this particular bill and where he actually says, “There is nothing wrong with it.” He even goes on to say—and this is a brave call—“The Hanson and Bresnan bill”, in the words of Mr Hanson, is “human rights compliant and has been through the scrutiny of bills committee.” Indeed, I think Ms Bresnan refers to the scrutiny of bills committee. I wonder whether they read the report of the scrutiny of bills in relation to this. Here it is. It is only half a page. This is the scrutiny of bills committee report which Ms Bresnan and Mr Hanson rely on to justify that this legislation is human rights compliant. What does it say? What did the scrutiny of bills committee find on this bill, the Hanson-Bresnan bill? This is what it found—


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