Page 2771 - Week 10 - Wednesday, 14 August 1991
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
I am a realist. I realise the numbers here, and I am quite happy to support Mr Collaery's amendment. That means, I think, that the power will remain for another two years. Whether or not I am in the next Assembly does not really matter; but, if I am not, I hope that in two years' time the power can be extended indefinitely. I commend the Bill to the Assembly and indicate that I and the Liberal Party will be supporting Mr Collaery's amendment.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
Bill agreed to in principle.
Detail Stage
Bill, by leave, taken as a whole.
MR COLLAERY (11.46): I move:
Clause 3, omit the clause, substitute the following clause:
Cessation of operation of section 35 of Principal Act as amended by this Act
3. Section 4 of the Principal Act is amended by omitting "2" and substituting "4".
I wish to say a few words on that. As I said earlier, I am unhappy with the general feedback to responsible government on the use of this power. I am not so unhappy as to join forces with the Australian Labor Party at this stage in removing the power.
Mr Berry: It might be your last chance, I think.
MR COLLAERY: I doubt that. I will be back here, Mr Berry. I hope you are, because we will need that support again, will we not? The Australian Federal Police will read the transcript and I trust that the responsible Federal Minister will have relevant aspects drawn to his attention. It is clearly important that, when the arrangements with the Commonwealth in respect of the AFP are reviewed, something be done about accountability to this Government, to this Assembly, by the Australian Federal Police.
I do not want my comments in any way to suggest that I have a general concern about police behaviour. I do not. But I believe that self-government brings with it responsibility. If Mr Connolly has to answer on the morning news for incidents involving the public and the police, he should have the capacity to obtain candid and, so far as is possible, uncensored advice from his police advisers. I will support him with any initiatives he likes to take, informally or formally, in that regard.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .