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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1998 Week 4 Hansard (24 June) . . Page.. 966 ..

MR OSBORNE (continuing):

Although Mr Corbell argues that there is no reason for these provisions to be removed, I can see no reason for them to be there, given the discussions that we had. I think that the amendment will solve the problem I have with this.

Amendment agreed to.

Clause, as amended, agreed to.

Clause 5

Amendment (by Mr Osborne) agreed to:

Page 2, lines 21 to 25, proposed subsection 16(5), omit the proposed subsection.

Clause, as amended, agreed to.

Title agreed to.

Bill, as amended, agreed to.

Debate resumed from 20 May 1998, on motion by Mr Osborne:

That this Bill be agreed to in principle.

MR HUMPHRIES (Attorney-General, Minister for Justice and Community Safety and Minister Assisting the Treasurer) (10.08): Mr Speaker, in light of the time and the fact that very few of the citizens of the Territory are listening to what we have to say at this time of night, or are likely to read what we say, I am going to be brief. Mr Speaker, Mr Osborne has proposed what he calls a Crime Prevention Powers Bill. Mr Osborne has, rightly, identified that a better approach to the problem of crime in this community, particularly on the streets of this community, is to prevent it, rather than dealing with it after it has occurred. Mr Osborne's Bill is a slightly revised version of the move-on powers Bill which was originally introduced in this place by my colleague Mr Stefaniak.

Mr Speaker, the Bill seeks to allow a move-on power to be used by police in circumstances where they have reasonable grounds to believe a person in a public place has engaged, or is likely to engage, in violent conduct. It allows police to use a proactive power to prevent a crime from taking place, rather than simply a reactive power when a crime has already taken place. This Government stands ready to support such measures in legislation, because they are sensible in concept and they have been proven to be workable on the streets of this city and, indeed, other parts of Australia.

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