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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1998 Week 1 Hansard (29 April) . . Page.. 147 ..

MR HUMPHRIES (continuing):

There is a review of criminal laws going on, in particular as they relate to international events, events management and terrorism. That review we talked about as part of our platform in the recent election campaign. That review, in fact, has now begun and, I would expect, would take between six and 12 months to complete. That ought to put us in a position to understand whether there are any weaknesses in our present legislation. I can assure members, Mr Osborne in particular, that if there are such weaknesses in our legislation we will move quickly to rectify them. We will be driving as hard a bargain as we can with the Federal Government to make sure that policing in the Territory is kept up to adequate levels during the period that events are taking place, particularly those in Sydney.

MR OSBORNE: Thank you for that, Minister. I asked the question because I am led to believe that there are no laws in the ACT which prevent the manufacture of bombs. That is something that the review will pick up, I would hope. It is not illegal to make a bomb. That is what I am trying to highlight to you, Minister. Are you aware of that?

MR HUMPHRIES: I hope that Mr Osborne has not alerted all the potential bomb makers of the Territory to this loophole and that we do not have them rushing out to buy their supplies from the local hardware store.

MR SPEAKER: I think we frequently do it in this chamber, Mr Minister.

MR HUMPHRIES: We make lots of metaphorical bombs in this place already, Mr Speaker, so it cannot be illegal here. If there is a weakness in this area, which I do not at this stage concede, we will have to make sure that that is covered as soon as possible. If there was such a weakness, we would cover that gap sooner than the Olympics.

MR BERRY: My question is to the Chief Minister. Mr Speaker, we know about the Chief Minister's fluctuating agenda on whether she will or will not sell public assets. We know that before the election it was not on the agenda. We know that after the election it is possibly on the agenda but it will not be her fault; it will be the fault of ACTEW or somebody else that sells ACTTAB.

MR SPEAKER: Ask your question, Mr Berry.

MR BERRY: Anybody could be responsible for the sale of these assets. The ACTTAB board could be responsible for the sale of ACTTAB, but would the Chief Minister rule out - - -

Mr Humphries: Mr Speaker, I have a point of order to raise. Mr Berry is obviously rambling. I think it would be helpful if he were to come to the point of his question as soon as possible.

MR SPEAKER: I am hoping he is coming to his question right now, Mr Minister.

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