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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1999 Week 3 Hansard (25 March) . . Page.. 826 ..

MR HUMPHRIES (continuing):

Other measures which will apply to Olympic events are: Powers to refuse entry to persons reasonably believed to be likely to commit an offence or breach a condition of entry set by the organisers; powers to ask for a person's name and address, which will enable the authorities to identify fans who are known to have caused trouble at other events, such as notorious soccer hooligans; and powers to remove from the venue a person who commits an offence at the event.

The power to eject gives police and other authorised security staff the option of simply ejecting the person without having to involve the police in charging and prosecuting the offender, which means that he or she will not necessarily be arrested or incur a criminal record in relation to his or her conduct at the event. If the behaviour is regarded by police as serious enough to warrant action beyond ejection from the venue - for example, if the person had injured another spectator - police would, of course, be able to use their usual powers to arrest and charge offenders.

The Bill contains provisions enabling some or all of these new powers to be exercised by police and other authorised persons. Those provisions will ensure that neither security at the event nor general policing operations in Canberra are impaired should there be a shortage of available police officers. The training and selection of any authorised persons will be coordinated by the ACT region Australian Federal Police in conjunction with SOCOG, with the Minister or his or her delegate authorising the relevant personnel, which it is expected may include Emergency Services staff, professional security guards and some of the Olympic volunteers being recruited by SOCOG. The Bill also contains technical provisions which deal with the effects of disallowance and enable regulations to be made for the purposes of the proposed Act.

In closing, I urge members of this Assembly to support the Bill to help ensure the success of the Olympic events in Canberra next year, which will be of benefit to both this Territory and Australia generally. I do not generally believe that the Territory should countenance provisions that might be contained in legislation of this kind, but it is important to emphasise to members that these requirements are a stipulation made by SOCOG. Therefore, the ACT is required to enact these provisions in order to remain a host city for the Olympic events for which we are slated to be the host.

Debate (on motion by Mr Stanhope ) adjourned.

MR MOORE (Minister for Health and Community Care) (11.34): Mr Speaker, I present the Poisons and Drugs (Amendment) Bill 1999, together with its explanatory memorandum.

Title read by Clerk.

MR MOORE: Mr Speaker, I move:

That this Bill be agreed to in principle.

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