Page 1683 - Week 06 - Tuesday, 30 April 1991
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Statement by Member
MR STEVENSON (8.09): Mr Speaker, law and order is an issue that Canberrans and all Australians need to confront. We see daily evidence that crime and corruption is increasing and we should ask why this is so. I believe that continuing revelations before police, parliamentary investigations and royal commissions reveal that crime can prosper only when law-makers fail to protect the community by the provision and enforcement of appropriate laws.
The solution is not just increased legislative controls but rather the passing and enforcement of laws which actually reflect community values and expectations. Crime will flourish only where laws are inadequate or unenforced, where police and investigatory bodies are denied the resources they need, or where the evidence and recommendations they produce are met, not with swift implementation and justice but with incompetence, apathy or, as is increasingly the case, a cover-up of criminal activities by the very people who hold the power of law.
One example of how this can occur is seen in Victoria where it is required that any illegal pornographic videotapes that are seized must be processed within 14 days of seizure. Under current economic constraints and staffing levels it is nigh on impossible in the time available to classify quantities of tapes seized. This simple failing has prevented many purveyors of video pornography from being charged and prosecuted.
It is readily apparent to most people that the criminal activity that is expanding most rapidly is white collar crime. We see that criminals are more likely to commit their crimes under the cover of a facade of legitimate business aided by business professionals who either are prepared to turn a blind eye to criminal activities or themselves become an accessory to the commission of the crime itself. There are corporate and legal professionals who use their standing in the community, their professional connections and, indeed, their own qualifications and experience, to support crime.
With the advent of the computer age and the involved regulatory nature of our modern society, we have seen organised crime increasingly expand into the multi-billion dollar world of business. I particularly raise this matter of white collar crime in the pornography industry today because of rumours spread by porn traders in Canberra that they are somehow going broke and that this has been responsible for six porn businesses going into liquidation.
While there is no doubt that many businesses in Australia face troubled times, we should understand that one of the major difficulties they face is a lack of cash flow. Most companies would be more than happy if all their accounts were paid in 30 days. It would bring an even greater smile
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