Page 1562 - Week 06 - Tuesday, 17 May 1994
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
COMMUNITY SAFETY COMMITTEE
Status Report and Government Response
MR CONNOLLY (Attorney-General and Minister for Health) (3.44): Madam Speaker, I present the ACT Community Safety Committee's status report, Civic by Night, together with the Government's response to that report. I move:
That the Assembly takes note of the papers.
This committee, which was established as part of the Government's community safety strategy, has recommended some interim measures in response to public safety problems in Civic, particularly at night and on weekends. The committee was established in November 1993 as an integral part of the ACT's integrated community safety strategy. I am pleased to inform the Assembly that the Government supports all of the committee's recommendations. The Government's endorsement of the report demonstrates this Government's commitment to enhance community safety in the ACT. There have already been a string of measures announced by the Government in response to problems associated with alcohol-related crime and anti-social behaviour. These include amendments to the Liquor Act to restrict the trading hours of off-licensees and to make it an offence to possess open containers of liquor in prescribed public places. Other recommendations have already been introduced via the Government's response to the report of the Select Committee on Drugs -Alcohol and Youth - A Rite of Passage?.
Similarly to the select committee, the Community Safety Committee recommended the introduction of the proof of age card for young people. The Government has placed conditions consistent with both committees' recommendations. The card will be available on a voluntary basis at low cost through the Motor Vehicle Registry to persons over 18. I would expect it to be used mainly by persons between 18 and 25, but if older residents wish to obtain a card they may do so. I stress, however, that civil liberties protection will limit the card's usefulness as a general purpose form of identification. The Government also supports the Community Safety Committee's recommendation to formally evaluate the card's effectiveness.
The Community Safety Committee has stressed that one isolated program cannot be the panacea for the problems, perceived or otherwise, in Civic. Hence, the report makes recommendations which require immediate responses but need to be followed up with longer term solutions - solutions which attack the social and cultural causes of alcohol-related crime and anti-social behaviour. I commend the committee on this foresight. Of particular note, the committee found that many members of the public were unaware that the consumption of alcohol within 50 metres of a shop, licensed premises or bus interchange is prohibited under section 84 of the Liquor Act 1975. This provision makes most of Civic a dry area. I believe that a simple measure to place signs informing the public, as suggested by the committee, will go some way to prevent people consuming alcohol in a prohibited place.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .