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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1998 Week 4 Hansard (24 June) . . Page.. 975 ..

MR STANHOPE (continuing):

I might just raise a couple of other issues about the way that this Bill has been brought on that really do concern me. I do not believe there has been nearly enough debate about this issue. I do not believe that the community has been involved closely enough in either this Bill or the next Bill that we will debate. I am concerned at the absolute lack of objective data about the impact of these sorts of laws. I am concerned about the fact that we do not know what the real problem on our streets is. The crime statistics that we have give us no indication of the actual impact. I tried to find some data. I actually went to the Australian Institute of Criminology over the last week. I asked the Australian Institute of Criminology for the latest statistical profile of crime in Australia, with a view to getting some figures on how much street crime there is in Canberra compared to the rest of Australia. I asked for the data compiled by location and offence. I think it is appropriate that I actually read to members the Australian Institute of Criminology's latest - I am told that it is the latest; it is for 1995-96 - statistical profile on crime. It actually breaks down crime in each jurisdiction by offence and by place.

I will go through the offender profiles for robbery. I will just read out the ACT figures. There is a whole series of locations - residential location - private dwelling, other dwelling; community location - street/footpath, car park, other; other locations - retail, recreation, other; et cetera. I will just read out the community location ones for streets and footpaths, the ones that will be most affected by this legislation. Location where offence occurred, robbery, ACT: Street/footpath, none. Location where offence occurred, sexual assault, ACT: Street/footpath, none.

Mr Humphries: Is that meant to be read as sexual assaults? They are not about sexual assaults.

MR STANHOPE: We will get to assault now, Mr Attorney-General. As I say, there are three locations - street/footpath, car park, and other: Location where offence occurred, assault, ACT: Street/footpath, none. Location where offence occurred, homicide, ACT: Street/footpath, none.

Mr Humphries: Move-on powers do not prevent homicide.

MR STANHOPE: Or assault, or robbery, or sexual assault.

Mr Humphries: Are you saying that no assaults occur on footpaths or on the streets?

MR STANHOPE: No, I am not. I am not saying that. What I am saying is that you have no data to indicate to you why this legislation is necessary; nor does the Australian Institute of Criminology. It is quite obvious that the information provided by the Australian Federal Police - - -

Mr Osborne: We do not need the police! Save the $54m for policing! There is no crime!

MR STANHOPE: No; there are plenty of offences. We all know that there are very serious offences in the ACT and there are plenty of offences listed under other locations. But my point is that there are none listed for the ACT under streets or footpaths.

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