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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 11 Hansard (6 November) . . Page.. 3688 ..

MR MOORE (continuing):

I think a lot of people put weight behind electronic surveillance cameras and say they will solve all sorts of problems. I am still of the view that generally they will tend to move problems from one place to another. However, that may be a useful device, provided the appropriate safeguards are in place. It may be useful to ensure that problems which interfere with other people's freedom to move around do not occur in a specific very public area. Therefore, I think that, whilst the motion should remain, there is that clarification I made. Secondly, the report should be considered as a whole. I think it is very important. I think that clarifies the issues that need to be clarified from my perspective.

MR HUMPHRIES (Attorney-General) (10.49): Mr Speaker, I seek leave to speak again on this matter. I have spoken once, but I want to make a few remarks.

Leave granted.

Mr Wood: I might be up, too.

MR HUMPHRIES: Do you want to speak as well? Okay.

MR SPEAKER: You will be allowed to speak, if you wish.

MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Speaker, I hoped Mr Wood would speak because I have written to him about this question of the unintended consequences of the motion. I have heard Mr Moore refer to his interpretation of what the Assembly resolved, and I would appreciate Mr Wood also indicating his view about the matter.

There is a very serious issue here. We have the intention by the Federal Police to use material obtained by surveillance cameras as an ongoing tool in dealing with policing in the ACT, particularly in places like Civic where we all know there is a serious problem with drugs, and also in places like the courts where it is proposed to tender evidence which has been obtained by the use of those cameras or electronic surveillance of various sorts. I think it is most important that it be clear to the Federal Police that in doing so they are operating within the parameters of the framework set by the Legislative Assembly. I am going to take it as read, on what Mr Moore has said, that that is the will of the Assembly, although it would be nice to have other members confirm that that is their interpretation as well.

I want to make one small comment about the debate. Mr Wood has suggested that I am keen to have a law and order debate, a law and order auction. The fact is that I am not keen to do that. The Liberal Party has, I think, sensibly tried to strike a balance on this matter and has not run that kind of line throughout the last three years. There have been occasions when we have said that we need to better resource the police, and, indeed, we have done that. We have better resourced the police and we have increased the numbers of police on the streets of Canberra. We have restructured the way they do their work, and we have before the house at the moment legislation dealing with sentencing policy pursuant to recommendations made by the Chief Justice and the Director of Public Prosecutions.

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