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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1999 Week 3 Hansard (25 March) . . Page.. 856 ..

MR WOOD (continuing):

... it has not been possible to ascertain whether or not police have been called to the Tip since that date.

Also, Minister, the last quarterly statistical report that you released recently for the current period shows that no AFP statistics were available. Does this mean police - - -

Mr Osborne: He keeps beating you in court, Gary.

MR WOOD: Indeed, Mr Osborne. He should be hired by the Government. Does this mean that police no longer have any records showing where they have been and what they have been doing? How could they remain accountable in such a system, a key question in your current dealings with the AFP?

Mr Hargreaves: Keystone Cops here we come.

MR HUMPHRIES: I thank Mr Wood for that question. When I saw the response to the question on notice he asked me, I asked the same question and have not had an answer back, but I thought I would send him the answer anyway so that he could have that information for himself. I am not sure whether the period about which Mr Wood asked extended into the period for which figures are not available. I think the question he asked was about - - -

Mr Wood: No, they are two different things.

MR HUMPHRIES: Yes, so I do not think it actually impinged on information provided to him.

Mr Wood: But the key question is that that is information that you ought to know about.

MR HUMPHRIES: Indeed, and I have asked that question, and I am anxious to find out what the reason is as well. I understand that there have been problems with the police data collection system. They have been of a technical nature and they have been temporary. I have yet to get accurate information about the nature of the problem, how extensive it is and how long it will last. When I have that information, I will be happy to return to Mr Wood in the Assembly.

MR WOOD: Thank you, Mr Humphries. May I follow that up? Further to that question, you might advise me how many police cars are usually on duty in Canberra on Saturday and Sunday afternoons. I am curious because I have been reliably informed not only that there are many calls to the tip, as I have indicated, on Saturday and Sunday afternoons but also that on Saturday or Sunday afternoons up to three police cars have been there at one time.

Mr Hargreaves: All three police cars.

MR WOOD: It might be all three police cars.

Mr Berry: We have very valuable rubbish.

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