Page 5622 - Week 17 - Thursday, 5 December 1991
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MR STEVENSON: It is either that I am a bit slow off the mark, Mr Berry, or your comments are rather obtuse and difficult to understand. The point is that this does give fairly extreme powers to officials who should not have those powers. It is a trend in Australia, and certainly in Canberra, that more and more powers are being given not to police but to people involved in the bureaucracy, and it will not augur well for individuals who get caught up in this process.
It is all very well saying, as some of the members in this Assembly have said, "Look, let us give them the powers. If there is any problem later on, we will do something about it". I would suggest that, firstly, we do not give people powers that are liable to be abused. If there are serious matters that need to be attended to, there are already powers within our society to attend to them. They should not be given in this case. I will vote against the clauses and for Mr Moore's proposal.
MR COLLAERY (11.39): I am addressing the amendment moved by Mr Wood as well, because it has not been passed yet.
MR DEPUTY SPEAKER: Yes, it has.
MR COLLAERY: But the provision, as amended, has not been passed.
MR DEPUTY SPEAKER: That is right.
MR COLLAERY: So, I am addressing it as a whole. Last night I said everything that I wanted to say generally about the provision. I exemplified the fact, I remind members, that under a previous Minister, and at the instigation of someone we all know, I had the experience of being raided on a day when I was going to the Federal Court on a community legal issue, the Rocky Knoll matter. My own premises were raided in a politically-inspired raid - - -
Mr Connolly: But were you complying with the law? What did they find?
MR COLLAERY: I certainly was complying with the law and nothing was ever found that suggested otherwise. Those raids were politically motivated to pressure me out of community work, and I could not believe it. As a long-term practising honest solicitor, to have my premises raided and to have my staff subjected to that still scars me to this day. It was an outrage perpetrated by a former person of influence in this Territory because the Residents Rally at that time were centred around my legal practice. I will never forget it.
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