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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1998 Week 2 Hansard (19 May) . . Page.. 312 ..

MR RUGENDYKE (continuing):

I am afraid that I worry about our foreign policy, Mr Speaker, when I see that we always take the easy option. Imagine if China had held another test. Does anyone here seriously believe that the Australian Government would be so hairy-chested about sanctions? I suggest not, and I believe this motion might have been a little slower coming forward, given the ACT's growing trade links with China. I do not favour nuclear weapons any more than I favour sanctions against the poor. If we are to have sanctions, then let them fall on the head of every country that holds a nuclear arsenal. I trust this motion makes us feel morally superior, because that is the sum total of the effect that it will have.

Amendments agreed to.

Motion, as amended, agreed to.

MR OSBORNE: I present Scrutiny Report No. 1 of 1998 of the Standing Committee on Justice and Community Safety performing the duties of a scrutiny of Bills and subordinate legislation committee. I ask for leave to make a brief statement on the report.

Leave granted.

MR OSBORNE: Scrutiny Report No. 1 of 1998 contains the committee's comments on 16 Bills. I commend the report to the Assembly.

Debate resumed from 30 April 1998, on motion by Mr Humphries:

That this Bill be agreed to in principle.

MR STANHOPE (Leader of the Opposition) (11.53): Mr Speaker, the amendments proposed to the Crimes Act actually are amendments which were moved only a few months ago at the end of the last Assembly. On that occasion these amendments were proposed and they were lost. We have a new Assembly now with slightly new personnel, and the Minister is having another go.

I think it is relevant that we look at some of the history of the provision that we are addressing today. The particular provision is section 429 of the Crimes Act. This is a provision which relates to sentencing. It deals with the factors that will be taken into account by a court in sentencing offenders in the ACT. The provision which we are now amending came into being in 1993. Amendments were moved by the then Government following its consideration of an Australian Law Reform Commission report on sentencing. It was a very detailed report, a very significant report, and it was some years in the making.

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