Page 3634 - Week 12 - Thursday, 13 October 1994
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and the committee has recommended that, after a reasonable period of operation, there be a review of the effect of this greater penalty. In a similar area, the committee recommended that penalties in the Children's Services Act be made more consistent with each other. This is based on the principle that within an Act, if certain types of offences are distinguished from each other in one area, then the same should be done in the others.
Another area of concern that was addressed by the committee was the large increases in penalties for some offences. More specifically, there was an increase from $40 to $5,000 in the fine for the offence by a person authorised to collect of "importuning any person to the annoyance of that person". The committee was of the opinion that such an incredibly large increase was understandable, especially in light of the fact that the notion of "annoyance" is so subjective. I think that this is very important. There is an increase from $40 to $5,000 in the fine if somebody is being a nuisance to you. I honestly believe that this will make people think before they go ahead and do that.
Madam Speaker, this also ties in with something that I spoke of earlier, namely, the need to avoid taking highly punitive measures against activities which the public do not see as deserving such punishment. It seems mean spirited that a child selling cookies for pocket-money could face a fine of $5,000. I do not think that anybody here would want to - - -
Mr Humphries: It is not the child that faces this fine; it is the person employing them that faces the fine.
MRS GRASSBY: I am sure that there is not a person here who would want to see that happen. I thank the other members of the committee - Mr Humphries and Ms Szuty - and also the secretariat. As I said before, we have had some interesting changes in our secretariat; but we still seem to come up with our reports on time. I would like to thank them for the work that was put in.
Debate (on motion by Ms Szuty) adjourned.
Sitting suspended from 12.50 to 2.30 pm
QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE
Health Expenditure
MRS CARNELL: Madam Speaker, my question without notice is directed to the Minister for Health. In a media release issued by the Minister on 14 June this was stated:
Health Minister Terry Connolly today welcomed the 1994-95 budget for the Department of Health, noting that the recurrent allocation of $267.7m is an increase of more than $14m on the published forward estimate for Health.
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