Page 3672 - Week 11 - Wednesday, 23 November 2022
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This amendment will require offenders to provide their email address and telephone number to ACT courts so that they can be contacted using these details to follow up on any unpaid fines. Offenders who do not provide their email address and telephone number as required may be subject to a penalty. However, if the offender does not have an email address and/or telephone number or they have a reasonable excuse for not providing these details they will not be penalised.
ACT courts will also be able to obtain an offender’s email address and telephone number from a specified third party, including the Chief Police Officer of the ACT and the ACT Housing Commissioner. ACT courts and specified third parties are bound to deal with a person’s personal details in accordance with information privacy principles.
The amendment will modernise the ACT courts’ approach to fine enforcement by allowing the use of more up-to-date methods of communication to contact debtors and increase compliance with payment of fines. The amendment will allow ACT courts to intervene earlier and better provide people with the information they need to manage their fines.
Finally, the bill will ensure that the ACT Childrens Court can deal with aggravated burglary and aggravated robbery offences summarily, without prosecution consent. This will mean that the way in which the Childrens Court can deal with these offences is consistent with that court’s powers to deal with other serious offences by summary disposal.
This amendment will promote the rights of children in the criminal process, as stated at section 20 of the Human Rights Act 2004, by ensuring that children and young people under the age of 18 cannot receive a maximum penalty of more than two years imprisonment for these offences, which will support that child or young person’s rehabilitation. The amendment will also allow matters to be dealt with more expeditiously, reducing the impact of extended court processes on all parties, both victims and defendants.
The bill will support a number of human rights, including those of children in the justice system. It will promote safety in the ACT through improved suitability assessments for intensive correction orders and the deterrence of unauthorised entry of motor vehicles. It will reduce the opportunity for racism and vilification and send a strong message that our community does not tolerate hate ideology. I commend the bill to the Assembly.
Debate (on motion by Mr Cain) adjourned to the next sitting.
Workplace Legislation Amendment Bill 2022
Debate resumed from 8 June 2022 on motion by Mr Gentleman:
That this bill be agreed to in principle.
MR COCKS (Ginninderra) (11.02): I rise to speak today on the Workplace Legislation Amendment Bill 2022, as the shadow minister for jobs and workplace
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