Page 1039 - Week 04 - Tuesday, 19 March 1991
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Weedon Close, Belconnen, has also been a constant source of irritation to the law enforcement agencies in our Territory. In fact, I can recall problems there dating back to the early 1980s. The numbers of people you see going through the court as a result of offences there are quite legion. That remains very much a trouble spot. I note the committee's recommendations. The committee made a number of recommendations that on licence hours remain unchanged at present and that the matter of restricting on licence hours remain on notice for the committee's future consideration. The Government agreed with those recommendations in its response.
I mentioned to Mr Wood some months ago continuing problems in relation to excessive drinking in the early hours of the morning because most of the problems do occur after 4.00 am. Quite often problems occur at 5.00 am and, indeed, even people going to work, or shoppers going shopping on a Saturday morning, as late as 8.30 or 9.00 am, bump into numbers of drunks who cause problems. Of course, some days are worse than others. There is a lot of force in the AFP suggestion that licences be restricted so that these on licence premises close at 4.00 am and do not reopen until 10.00 am. That is something that I have mentioned to the chairman. That is something that I have mentioned to the Attorney-General. I am currently getting some further data in relation to that because I think that is something that this Government will perhaps have to do. It will not affect very many liquor licence premises because there are very few that do, in fact, trade at that hour of the morning. I cannot see any real justification, given the extent of the problem, for a few places to continue trading when problems do emanate, it seems, as a result of those places continuing to trade at those very late hours.
Mr Speaker, policing is another area that this committee looked at. Indeed, it is pleasing to see that the AFP - as did its predecessor, the old ACT police - has continued to channel its efforts into community policing. It has a reputation of being perhaps one of the best community policing forces in the country. That reputation is a deserved one and has been there for some 30 years. It is good to see the steps the AFP continues to take to ensure that it does remain a community police force. Could I have a short extension of time?
Leave not granted.
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