Page 4088 - Week 15 - Thursday, 17 December 1992
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For that reason, Madam Speaker, I support the passage of the Bill, which was tabled yesterday, for the continuation of this provision in the Evidence (Closed-Circuit Television) Act. It could be that we could come back and examine and debate this question in the future. Perhaps when the Assembly debates the Evidence Bill, which is also before us at the moment, we can have a broad-ranging discussion about the question of children giving evidence in court, and other methods to allow people other than children, particularly women, for example, to give evidence in certain difficult situations. Madam Speaker, this is a worthwhile Bill which takes a very important step towards continuing that valuable experiment.
MR CONNOLLY (Attorney-General, Minister for Housing and Community Services and Minister for Urban Services) (12.24), in reply: I thank Mr Humphries for his comments. Hopefully, that flattery will mean that I will get a favourable mention in his Christmas address which, no doubt, will be forthcoming in the adjournment debate this evening. Madam Speaker, this Bill was introduced very quickly yesterday. It excises a key part of the broad-ranging Evidence Bill and will allow this experiment of closed-circuit television to continue in the Magistrates Court in the ACT for child witnesses. Mr Moore has indicated to me that he also would support the Bill. He has been called away, and he asked me to mention that.
The Australian Law Reform Commission has looked at the operation of closed-circuit TV evidence in the ACT. Its discussion paper, which was issued some months ago, was very favourable and indicated that none of the fears that had been raised about this making the trial of an accused somehow unfair were seen to be true. It seemed that the evidence was untainted although it went through the video. Clearly, there was a less traumatic effect on the children giving that evidence and it is appropriate for us to make that a permanent feature of the criminal justice system here. As I have previously indicated, the Government will be looking at ways of extending this. That is a substantial issue and I think it would require extensive consultation, probably through the forum of the Community Law Reform Committee. This simple measure today makes the use of closed-circuit television permanent, and I am pleased that it is supported generally.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
Bill agreed to in principle.
Leave granted to dispense with the detail stage.
Bill agreed to.
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