Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 7 Hansard (26 June) . . Page.. 2224 ..

MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Temporary Deputy Speaker, I table responses to two questions I took on notice last week. One was from Ms McRae about the dumping of spoil from the demolition of the former Royal Canberra Hospital. (see page 2302)

MR HUMPHRIES: The other was from Mr Osborne about the lease of the Wanniassa oval to the Tuggeranong Valley Rugby Union Club. (see page 2303)

[COGNATE PAPERS:

Debate resumed.

MR WOOD: Mr Temporary Deputy Speaker, the committee, I am sure, will have a close look at some of the factors behind juvenile crime. We need to attend to the problems. I am disappointed to see an upward spiral in that paper. I expect the Minister is also. In my time as shadow Minister for Police I do not wish to sensationalise crime figures. It is easy to pick out figures and say, "Crime is increasing, Minister; do something about it". But I recognise that these are societal problems. They are not the Minister's doing. Indeed, government sometimes finds it very difficult to respond to them.

I had some figures given to me at the Estimates Committee hearing, as a result of a request I made, that show that violent crime is on an upsurge in Canberra. Armed hold-ups and violent affrays have increased quite alarmingly. Almost every day we seem to hear of someone holding a knife against a poor young girl at a supermarket somewhere, or a gun being held. The difference between a knife and a gun, I think, sometimes reflects the difference between criminals coming from Sydney to carry out these attacks and locals who do not have access to hand guns. It is a concern.

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .