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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 14 Hansard (12 December) . . Page.. 4940 ..

MR STEFANIAK (continuing):

I would like to mention the matter that Mr Osborne mentioned yesterday of some comments that were made in the court. I was a fairly senior legal practitioner in the ACT. I spent 91/2 years as a public prosecutor and about three years as a defence counsel. I specialised in the criminal law jurisdiction. I was around the courts for a fair while. I am not going to comment on what the magistrate said. Suffice it to say that my personal opinion is that it was somewhat inappropriate. However, over my time as a prosecutor and as a defence counsel I had a lot to do with the Australian Federal Police Force. I probably prosecuted over 1,000 cases and handled many thousands of mentions and pleas of guilty. During that time I got to know quite well most of the police in the ACT from the rank of senior constable upwards. They appeared as witnesses in many of my cases. If anyone wants to cast aspersions on their honesty, I would refute that.

To my mind, we have the best police force in the country. The evidence that they give in court, almost to a man and woman, is as fair, balanced and accurate as is reasonably humanly possible. In my view, they have shown a lot of compassion, commonsense and the ability to give the facts in the best way they possibly can and as fairly and as accurately as possible. I think we are very lucky in the Territory to have a police force of such capacity. Any aspersions that have been cast on them as a result of recent events I certainly would refute from my considerable experience as a former practitioner.

Finally, I wish all members and all staff of the Assembly a merry Christmas.

MS REILLY (12.43 am): I want to add to the comments that have been made about Rosemary Follett. After today I will lose my role as the newest member of the Assembly. When we sit next in February, we will be joined by another member for Molonglo, hopefully of Labor persuasion, unless the counting goes wrong.

Mr Moore: Or right, depending on your perspective.

MS REILLY: I said "Labor". For me, having started in this place in March this year, it was extremely helpful, useful and quite wonderful at times to have the assistance of Rosemary Follett; to have, as the other partner representing Molonglo for Labor, somebody of her calibre, somebody of her experience and somebody who is willing to help other people to learn and willing to help other people in various capacities.

A number of people have made mention of the fact that she was the first female Chief Minister and the first female leader of a government in Australia. Not only in that role alone but also in other capacities in which she has served the community, she has acted as a role model for all the community, particularly for women. For her to reach the levels that she did shows women what is possible. It is possible for women to reach the highest points in public life and still maintain the demeanour that she did.

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