Page 4674 - Week 13 - Tuesday, 31 October 2017

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warrant. Additionally a crime scene may not be maintained on private property without the authority of a search warrant for a period longer than reasonably necessary and no greater than six hours or, where the crime scene relates to a motor vehicle which has been relocated to a secure facility, 48 hours.

A number of obligations have been placed on a police officer following a crime scene being established, to ensure that people who are at a scene understand what is happening and understand their obligations. For example, if a crime scene is established at a private premises without consent, a police officer must take reasonable steps to tell the owner or occupier of the premises that a crime scene has been established at the premises, the offence to which the crime scene relates and when the officer expects that it will no longer be necessary to exercise crime scene powers at the premises. An offence provision has been included for a person failing to comply with a direction from a police officer when a crime scene has been established. This offence is punishable by two years imprisonment and/or 200 penalty units.

This bill supports the ACT government’s commitment to address serious and organised criminal activity proactively and effectively. The offence and the police powers in this bill give practical measures to hold people accountable for drive-by shootings and to investigate serious crimes. The drive-by shooting offence will make it clear to criminals and criminal organisations that the community rejects this behaviour and will provide the police with an effective way of disrupting and dealing with it.

Crime scene powers will ensure that police can secure the evidence of a crime, increasing the likelihood of identifying perpetrators and keeping the community safe. A strengthened offence with higher penalties for drive-by shootings will ensure that one of the most dangerous crimes of intimidation or worse can be fairly and effectively punished. Both of these important provisions are part of a suite of initiatives that this government is pursuing to ensure that this city is and remains safe. We will keep working with our police, we will keep looking at examples in other jurisdictions and we will keep working to ensure that our responses protect both our safety and our rights.

I commend the bill to the Assembly.

Debate (on motion by Mr Hanson) adjourned to the next sitting.

Workers Compensation Amendment Bill 2017

Ms Stephen-Smith, pursuant to notice, presented the bill, its explanatory statement and a Human Rights Act compatibility statement.

Title read by Clerk.

MS STEPHEN-SMITH (Kurrajong—Minister for Community Services and Social Inclusion, Minister for Disability, Children and Youth, Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs, Minister for Multicultural Affairs and Minister for Workplace Safety and Industrial Relations) (12.27): I move:


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