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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1995 Week 11 Hansard (14 December) . . Page.. 3165 ..

INTRODUCTION

Mr Speaker, the circumstances that pertained when the Policing Arrangement was signed in 1990 have changed.

The current Policing Arrangement which was entered into between the ACT and Commonwealth Governments, has been in force for over five years. The ACT community has been well served by the AFP and derives significant benefit from a police service which is diverse and operates on both a national and international basis as well as having a community policing role.

In turn the AFP as a whole, and the Commonwealth Government, derives benefits from the metropolitan base which the ACT Region provides.

Thus, while officers in the ACT have opportunities to gain experience and expertise in policing overseas and in national law enforcement operations, the Commonwealth has a contingent of well trained and experienced police officers to meet its national and international obligations.

We have here, Mr Speaker, a symbiotic relationship of mutual benefit to both Governments. Our aim is to maintain and enhance that relationship so as to provide the most effective policing service for the ACT.

I do however believe that it is timely that in 1995, in the sixth year of the arrangement, we should initiate discussions on the future direction of policing for the ACT and in this context the Government welcomes the report of the Legal Affairs Committee on the "Future of Policing in the ACT" tabled on 21 September 1995. The Government strongly endorses, in particular, the committee's recommendation that the ACT have a statutory appointed ACT Police Commissioner.

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