Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2000 Week 1 Hansard (16 February) . . Page.. 142 ..

MR STANHOPE (continuing):

Federal offences came into effect on 16 September 1995. In New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia, South Australia, and the Northern Territory the age of criminal responsibility is set at 10. The Government has not to date brought forward a Bill to change this age limit in the ACT. As I have said, even the Children and Young People Bill 1999, which was introduced in July last year, did not address the issue.

The Minister, as we know, has said that he hopes to be able to announce measures for consultation with the community on wider reforms within the next 12 months. In light of the fact that the Government has not sought to act on this issue over the last four to five years, I feel that rather than go through those measures of consultation and rather than wait it is necessary that we act to ensure that children of eight and nine years of age are not forced into the criminal justice system.

It is my view, Mr Speaker, that children of that age deserve more than to be branded as somehow criminal and that we owe an obligation to them to keep them out of the criminal justice system and perhaps have parents accept their full responsibility for their children at that age. I commend the Bill to the Assembly.

Debate (on motion by Mr Stefaniak ) adjourned.

MR STANHOPE (Leader of the Opposition) (10.37): Mr Speaker, I move:

Mr Speaker, perhaps to your delight and that of many other Canberrans, the Queen will be staying in Canberra when she visits Australia next year.

Ms Carnell: Next month.

MR STANHOPE: Next month. According to evidence given to a Senate estimates committee hearing last week, for the first 10 days of her visit in March - I thank the Chief Minister - the Queen will base herself at Yarralumla, travelling from the national capital to Sydney and Melbourne for appointments. Canberra, of course, is a suitable place and the natural place for the Queen to choose as a base for her visit. It is, as I have said, the national capital. It is the seat of government. Until 1996 it was also the home of the Prime Minister. As has oft been remarked, Canberra was good enough for Curtin and Chifley; it was good enough for Menzies; it was good enough for Whitlam and Fraser; it was good enough for Hawke and Keating; and of course will be good enough for Kim Beazley. But unfortunately until that happy day Canberra can no longer boast being the prime ministerial home. As we all know, and as we all lament, Canberra is not good enough for Kirribilli John Howard to call home, just as it is no longer good enough to host next year's Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .