Page 5058 - Week 17 - Wednesday, 12 December 1990
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MS FOLLETT: That is true. Mr Speaker, I believe that this is a very real issue for the people in the north Canberra area. It is an issue that is of great concern to them, and I think it is up to the Government to respond to that concern. I have seen nothing from it on the issue. In particular, its members have not followed up the undertakings that they gave on 15 February. Today I am giving them an opportunity to do so. I hope that they will be able to address all of those issues that I have raised.
If people are able to be reassured, if those guarantees are able to be given, I will be only too happy to let people know. But in the absence of any information, and particularly in the absence of the information that was promised in February, I think people are quite rightly concerned, and they are now expressing that concern.
MR STEFANIAK (11.25): Mr Speaker, I think that after Ms Follett hears from the Government speakers - myself, Mr Duby and Mr Collaery - in relation to this matter, any fears she has should certainly be allayed, because the Government has been very actively looking at this matter for close on twelve months.
I must say that I am somewhat heartened to see Ms Follett actually take an interest in the Summernats, and take an interest in behavioural problems and some law and order problems here. This might be a sign of things to come. I certainly hope so. I listened with interest to a number of matters she raised. I know that she has had a concern about this for some time, although I do not think she was the first member in the Assembly to express concern in relation to the Summernats.
Ms Follett: Yes, I was.
MR STEFANIAK: I do not think you were, Ms Follett. At the invitation of the Australian Federal Police I went out there on 30 and 31 December last year. That was a Saturday night. I went out from about 7.00 pm through to about 2 or 3 o'clock the following morning. I had a good look around the entire area. I went out with a few police foot patrols, a few police mobile patrols. I observed the carnival. I observed some of the problems, and even observed the aftermath of some of the people who were arrested and taken back being charged at the City Police Station.
A number of valid points were raised in relation to behavioural problems, both by the police and by residents. I would refer Ms Follett to, I think, a Canberra Times article on 1 January, where I expressed a number of concerns I had. I do not think I heard from Ms Follett expressing any concerns until some time into January, at least.
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