Page 5367 - Week 13 - Wednesday, 16 November 2011
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
against police, meaning a number of offences, including assault, manslaughter and threats to kill, would be considered an aggravated offence and have higher prosecution penalties. The legislation applies if an offence is committed against a police officer whilst on the job or in relation to actions taken in their official capacity.
Recently, in a letter to Mr Rattenbury that was also provided to me by the Chief Police Officer, he outlined that while maintaining a bipartisan approach, he broadly supports an increase in penalties. He states:
I would welcome the provisioning of a specific ‘assault police’ offence within ACT statutes to enable clearer statistical capture and analysis of this crime type. The safety of frontline police is important, and having an enhanced capability to record and interpret statistics relating to this issue would enable remedial operational strategies to be implemented in order to mitigate the risk.
We cannot continue to congratulate the police on the dedicated work they are undertaking while failing to support them with the tools that they need. The Canberra Liberals will be supporting this motion today and we welcome the opportunity to commend the police on their fantastic results for the last financial year. But we do believe that the police need greater support and greater protections. I seek leave to move the amendments circulated in my name together.
Leave granted.
MR HANSON: I move:
(1) Insert new subparagraph (2)(f):
“(f) that during the reporting period, ACT Policing recorded 48 assaults against police and experienced 17 instances of spitting;”.
(2) Add:
“(5) calls on the Assembly to support increased penalties for assaults committed against police in the conduct of their duties.”.
As I said, there are two amendments. One notes the number of assaults against police and the number of spitting incidents, and it is a big number. I note that these numbers do fluctuate, but the point that has been raised by the Chief Police Officer and others is not necessarily the number of assaults but the nature of those assaults and the greater threat that police face in the conduct of their duty with mobbing and other offences conducted against them.
The second amendment is calling on the Assembly to support the increased penalties. It is actually foreshadowing the fact that there is draft legislation circulated in this place and indicates our support as an Assembly for the police in the dangerous work that they do.
MR CORBELL (Molonglo—Attorney-General, Minister for the Environment and Sustainable Development, Minister for Territory and Municipal Services and Minister
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video