Page 5047 - Week 16 - Wednesday, 27 November 1991
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I now turn to investigation issues. Clause 10 of the Bill allows the committee to refer complaints to an appropriate agency or, on its own initiative, refer a matter for investigation. Clause 15 obliges the director of the ACT Government Investigations Unit to comply with a direction or request from the Auditor-General. Clearly, as the Rally has asked, if this Bill is passed it will be imperative that that unit be brought out from under the Head of Administration and be obliged to report directly to an independent authority - preferably, in the Rally's view, the Auditor-General.
Clause 16 of the Bill allows the committee to refer matters directly to the Director of Public Prosecutions. I believe that that is an appropriate power and is probably, in many cases, the way that committee should operate. It will overcome the problems of WA Inc. and the toothless tiger that existed in Western Australia. If not satisfied with an investigation, the committee may refer its report and dissatisfaction to the Public Accounts Committee of this Assembly. Fundamentally, we are enshrining the doctrine of parliamentary review and parliamentary supervision of issues of public accountability stemming from public administration.
Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, corruption is socially unjust. It often amounts to unjust enrichment at the expense of others and at the expense of the community. I commend the Bill to the house.
Debate (on motion by Mr Connolly) adjourned.
CRIMES (AMENDMENT) BILL (NO. 4) 1991
Debate resumed from 16 October 1991, on motion by Mr Collaery:
That this Bill be agreed to in principle.
MR CONNOLLY (Attorney-General, Minister for Housing and Community Services and Minister for Urban Services) (11.43): Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, this Bill proposes two things in its current form. I understand that there are some amendments that Mr Collaery intends to move and has circulated which will refine somewhat the substance of the Bill before the house; but, essentially, again it will focus on two things.
The Government's position is that, while it can support Mr Collaery on one aspect of this Bill, it has severe reservations and cannot support his second aspect. In short, Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, and to dispense with the legal technicalities which Mr Collaery can explain when he puts forward his amendments, the Bill seeks to do two things. First, it seeks to make the possession of child
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