Page 5309 - Week 17 - Thursday, 13 December 1990
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community it continues to seem to be accepted. The report on violence in Australia that was tabled in this Assembly earlier this year was most frightening, to the degree that it showed that violence is still seen by some as an acceptable way to solve a dispute, particularly between a man and a woman.
It is most appropriate that the parliaments step in and provide this form of protection. As I said before, the ACT is leading the way. We support enthusiastically what the Attorney is doing in this Magistrates Court (Amendment) Bill.
MR STEFANIAK (11.16): I am heartened by the remarks of Mr Connolly and indeed of the Attorney-General when he introduced this Bill. This is another excellent piece of legislation that has been introduced into this Assembly in recent times. I am delighted to be able to speak on it, just as I was in relation to the Motor Traffic (Alcohol and Drugs) (Amendment) Bill.
The Magistrates Court (Amendment) Bill 1990 reforms the law relating to violence in non-domestic relationships. It is a major violence control initiative. It will replace the existing inadequate and largely toothless keep-the-peace provisions in the Magistrates Court Act. Of course, we have heard questions in relation to the old legislation in recent days. Examples have been given of the need for a person to go back to court for anything actually to happen when there was a breach. This more modern piece of legislation will replace those largely toothless provisions in the old Act. It is a sad fact of life, which I have certainly seen in my experience both as a prosecutor and a defence counsel, that there is a need for a Bill such as this.
There are many non-domestic relationships and situations, especially fights between neighbours, that get totally out of hand. Indeed they sometimes go all the way and lead to tragic incidents of serious injury and, indeed, on rare occasions, death. Perhaps more often they lead to certain violent flare-ups which can be contained, and I think legislation like this must help.
Indeed, I have a couple of constituents who have had problems in this regard and who will be greatly assisted by Bills such as this. Because of quite unpleasant neighbourhood disputes they are going through they will be aptly assisted by Bills such as this. Indeed, they have expressed to me their delight that this legislation is in fact going through the Assembly in these sittings and will be law within the next few days.
This legislation provides protection to victims of violence, threats, harassment and intimidation and it is modelled on the provisions of the Domestic Violence Act. While simply changing the law is not the final answer to violence in our community, I envisage that this legislation
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