Page 2773 - Week 10 - Wednesday, 14 August 1991
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So, what has happened in the two years since we have had the move-on power? The recent poll by the Save the Move On Powers Committee showed that 86 per cent of people were in agreement with the move-on power or with the police retaining that power. Was that a reasonable poll? If you read it, it certainly was. Question No. 7 was, "Do you think the Canberra Police should be able to keep the 'Move on Powers'? - Yes or No". You obviously need a yes or no answer to get their major concern, and 86 per cent agreed with the move-on power. It is also extremely significant that, of the 46 people under 20 years of age who were surveyed, 40 agreed with the move-on power. So, any suggestion by Mr Terry Connolly that young people do not agree with this is not borne out by the survey results.
Mr Connolly made a number of points about the survey conducted by the Save the Move On Powers Committee, suggesting that it may not have been valid in one way or another. However, I remind Mr Connolly that the Labor Party, at any time they like, can conduct a poll on the same matter - indeed, why don't they? - provided, of course, they release the full details of the poll, as the committee did in this case. I think it is very useful as well that the committee has listed the comments of many people. If anybody has not read the comments I would suggest that they do so, because I think they are most enlightening. They also included the comments of people who did not agree with the move-on power. That is hardly a biased suggestion.
Mr Speaker, why do people in Canberra agree with having police move-on powers? They agree because there are concerns - I think we all understand that there are valid concerns - about the safety and the rights of people in Canberra. As Mr Kaine so well put it, they have a right to live in a safe society. People these days understand their rights when dealing with police, and so they should. I agree entirely that people should understand their rights when dealing with police. However, it is unfortunate that they do not understand their responsibilities anywhere near as well.
There are many concerns expressed to us, particularly to the Social Policy Committee in this Assembly, with regard to public behaviour. It has been said to us in many submissions on these matters that there is a particular problem in Canberra caused by alcohol. One of the trouble spots is Weston Creek. Recently at Weston Creek the all-night service station has had to take certain action that I think will surprise some people. They have a security guard on during the weekend evenings. They do that because one of their staff was bashed out there. As a result of that, a young man was sentenced to three months' imprisonment. The people who committed some of the offences in that area were actually regular customers. But when you have all-night drinking you have a rather explosive situation.
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