Page 1737 - Week 06 - Thursday, 30 July 2020

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ACT Corrective Services—intensive correction orders

MR MILLIGAN: My question is to the Minister for Corrections and Justice Health. In the last fortnight, intensive correction orders have been used to allow a convicted child sex offender and a repeat offender convicted of drug trafficking not to spend a day behind bars. Can the minister advise whether these decisions are in line with the government’s intended operation of intensive correction orders?

MR RATTENBURY: It is the government’s responsibility to provide a range of sentencing options. As members will know, these offences do have the potential for time to be served behind bars. It is then a matter for the judiciary to weigh up the circumstances and make a penalty as they see fit in the circumstances. That is the role of the judiciary. Certainly, from a government point of view, the full range of penalties are available to be served, depending on how the judiciary directs.

MR MILLIGAN: Has the government raised the use of these intensive correction orders with the Director of Public Prosecutions in encouraging an appeal?

MR RATTENBURY: The Director of Public Prosecutions sits within the portfolio of the Attorney-General. I am afraid that I do not have any information to answer Mr Milligan’s question.

MRS JONES: Minister, does the government have any concerns about any signal that these sentences may send to other potential perpetrators?

MR RATTENBURY: As I said in answer to the first question, the government provides a full range of penalties through the legislative and policy mechanisms. It is then a matter for the courts to determine the penalty that they see fit, in the circumstances of the case and in light of the evidence presented. I am sure that different members of the community would have different views on the appropriateness of the sentence handed down by the court.

Access Canberra—data security

MS LAWDER: My question is to the Minister for Business and Regulatory Services and, in his absence, the Chief Minister. You would be aware that drivers licence renewal notices that have included drivers licence numbers in the subject line have been sent to ACT residents via email. Chief Minister, given that two Auditor-General’s reports this year alone have criticised the ACT government’s cybersecurity practices, why does your government continue to include in an automated email personal information that could be misused?

MR BARR: Situations like this are of course regrettable, and I will take some advice from the area concerned in relation to this matter to ensure that it does not happen in the future.

MS LAWDER: Chief Minister, what actions has your government taken to ensure the data security of Canberra residents?


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