Page 1539 - Week 06 - Tuesday, 18 May 1993
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The proposal by former Judge Kelly that there be a sunset clause built into any proposed legislation is an appropriate one. That, to some extent, will allow us to assess the cost implications within this Bill, at least, and within the current strictures. It may also allow us to assess the cost across a range of other Bills. Indeed, the recommendation in paragraph 5.10 says:
The Committee recommends that:
the Government give consideration to the establishment of a computerised information system for recording criminal convictions and all infringement notice offences.
One would presume that there would be a substantial cost in doing so, but maybe there would be efficiency dividends through computerising the process and allowing a broader range of offences to be treated as summary offences. Consider the current costs associated with clogging up the courts where, at the moment, you could have at least two police officers, a barrage of very highly paid barristers and solicitors, if not people looking like dead sheep, queen's counsel, also being involved in some of this process.
Mr Humphries: You are jealous.
Ms Follett: He wants his own dead sheep.
MR LAMONT: I want my own dead sheep; that is right. There is a response, Mr Humphries. Whether the cost savings to the community in general from going through this process are substantial enough to offset the increased cost as far as administration is concerned is a question that needs to be tested. I think the committee was of the view that the freeing up of the court system by a process of summary offences is an appropriate one to consider. In conclusion, I think it was generally agreed by the committee that we need to be extremely careful in how we proceed; that the Bill as originally presented by Mr Moore, if allowed to proceed, would be dangerous. I also have much pleasure in recommending the report to this Assembly.
Debate (on motion by Ms Follett) adjourned.
SCRUTINY OF BILLS AND SUBORDINATE LEGISLATION -
STANDING COMMITTEE
Report and Statement
MRS GRASSBY: I present report No. 8 of 1993 of the Standing Committee on Scrutiny of Bills and Subordinate Legislation and I ask for leave to make a brief statement on the report.
Leave granted.
MRS GRASSBY: Report No. 8 of 1993 contains the committee's comments on four pieces of subordinate legislation, five Bills and two government responses. I commend the report to the Assembly.
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