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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1998 Week 4 Hansard (24 June) . . Page.. 903 ..

MR HUMPHRIES (continuing):

and after an extensive public debate. I do not support using the APMC as a vehicle to support changes already undertaken within individual States or Territories or to allow for reductions in gun control standards without a public debate. The vast majority of Australians support the national firearms controls agreement, Mr Speaker. Although individual State and Territory governments may have their own political pressures from some elements within the gun lobby - elements that I describe as vicious and opportunistic - the national interest requires a high level of vigilance to guard the significant steps we took in 1996.

Mr Speaker, I now turn to the other issues which came before the council. The New South Wales Police Commissioner briefed the meeting on proposed arrangements for security in the lead-up to, and during, the Sydney 2000 Olympics. In doing so, the council agreed that the New South Wales Government would initiate discussions with all States and Territories and the Commonwealth about support levels to the New South Wales Police for Olympics-related security measures. I expect this will be an issue which will confront the ACT in the lead-up to Olympic events here, as well as the forthcoming meeting of the Commonwealth Heads of Government in 2001. A proposal to recognise firearms permits issued to international visitors was deferred for further work, following concerns that permits issued may be issued under laws which do not apply in the visited jurisdiction.

The Ministers agreed to the development of a strategic plan for information technology as it applies to the national exchange of police information - NEPI. The current national fingerprint database is in need of upgrading to support new technology, and information exchange between police services will be more crucial than ever in coming years as the technology changes considerably. It is possible that this item may have budget implications for the ACT in future years.

The meeting also considered a report and presentation from the working party into the establishment of a national criminal investigation DNA database and supported the need for the establishment of a DNA database governed by appropriate uniform legislation. I expect the provisions of that legislation to be the subject of consultation with members in the near future, with an aim of establishing a database link during 1999. The meeting heard of experiences with the establishment of a national DNA database in New Zealand and England, where serious crimes had been solved and, in one New Zealand case, a convicted rapist freed after a DNA sample cast serious doubt on his conviction. Part of the presentation drew on experiences of national DNA databases as they exist in New Zealand and England.

In England, figures show that 70 per cent of crime is committed by just 8 per cent of the population, and offenders in most serious crimes have prior convictions for less serious offences. Indeed, 90 per cent of sex offenders and 50 per cent of murderers could have been easily identified had DNA samples been available from their convictions for previously committed minor offences. DNA samples had also doubled the clear-up rate for burglaries in England. At present, there are 25,000 DNA samples from crime scenes in Australia awaiting identification of offenders. With the establishment of a national database, as people come to the attention of police for criminal behaviour,

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