Page 5312 - Week 17 - Thursday, 13 December 1990
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These amendments are in line with the recommendations of the National Committee on Violence that people who have shown a propensity to violence or threatening acts should be prevented from carrying weapons so that tragic homicides using those weapons may be prevented. I am very pleased to note that this Bill has been endorsed by the Domestic Violence Crisis Service, the Law Society of the ACT, the Australian Federal Police, the Magistrates Court and the ACT Legal Aid Office. The only change which has been made since that endorsement is the inclusion of gun licence cancellation and gun seizure provisions. I am quite certain that those bodies would not require us to go into a full range of consultation again, in view of the fact that we have moved positively to deal with those weapons.
The Alliance Government has pledged additional funding to the ACT Legal Aid Office to cover the additional cost it will incur as a result of the Bill - off the top of my head, funds for another duty solicitor, and other ancillaries. It should be pointed out - and I wish to express some disappointment at this stage - that this Bill was the responsibility of the Commonwealth until July this year when the Magistrates Court Act became an Act of the ACT. The Commonwealth did not then pursue these amendments, however, because it could not resolve the funding issues involved in the legislation.
The Alliance Government is more concerned with the prevention of violence in the ACT community than our Commonwealth counterparts. That is demonstrated by a willingness to fund this important legislation. Nevertheless, I believe that it was mean-minded of the Commonwealth to send this largely drafted Bill over to us, together with the Magistrates Court, without the funding for it, particularly when it had been so long promised and did not arrive. That has created extra funding stresses within my ministry, which I am attempting to deal with within the possibilities of the laws relating to appropriation. It is a very difficult matter. I am pleased to say that the Treasurer has moved to assist me with that extra duty solicitor for the Legal Aid Office, but we will be forced to tighten our belts in relation to the Magistrates Court situation. It is a difficult situation. It can be cured, of course, at a later date. I am certain that the magistrates will react favourably to it.
Finally, and somewhat by way of a careful reply to comments made by the Leader of the Opposition yesterday in relation to a recent tragedy, I have announced today the giving of another term of reference to the Australian Capital Territory's Community Law Reform Committee. In that respect, it is a reference to examine the role of the victim of crime in the Territory's criminal justice system, to report on whether the current system adequately deals with the needs of victims, to report on whether the Territory should adopt the use of victim impact statements
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