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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2000 Week 8 Hansard (29 August) . . Page.. 2577 ..
MR STANHOPE (continuing):
That is all this amendment does. It says, "Entrust this serious and significant power-namely, the power to identify a particular person you are concerned about entering Bruce Stadium for the purpose of watching Olympic soccer-to a member of the police force. Acknowledge that there will be other people assisting the police in their duties simply because of the magnitude of the task, but when it comes to this significant and potentially invasive process-a process which carries significant legal consequences, particularly if it is not conducted appropriately-entrust that role to a member of the police force."
The amendment does not say you cannot conduct a search. It does not say you cannot conduct a frisk or body search. What it says is that if you are going to conduct a body search on an individual going to a soccer game then let the police do it. It does not detract from the range of powers that will be available. It does not lessen in any way our potential to ensure the security of the games at Bruce Stadium.
MR HUMPHRIES (Treasurer, Attorney-General and Minister for Justice and Community Safety) (4.58): I think the Assembly should oppose this amendment the next amendment Mr Stanhope proposes to move. They are closely related. This amendment requires that, in effect, a search of personal property should occur only if an authorised person has reasonable grounds for believing the person to be searched possesses a prohibited item. I ask members to think about that for one instant. How will an officer, an Olympic volunteer or a trained security person who is in the business of providing security at the Olympic venue, say at an entry point to the stadium, have a basis for a reasonable suspicion that someone has something in their bag, say a prohibited weapon?
Mr Moore: They have a beard.
MR HUMPHRIES: They have a beard perhaps or look Middle Eastern or something of that kind, members opposite might suggest.
Mr Kaine: Having a beard would be a good reason.
MR HUMPHRIES: You probably believe that, Mr Kaine. Mr Speaker, the proposal from the Federal Police is to search everybody going into the Olympic venue. If this amendment of Mr Stanhope's passes, that cannot occur. Under his amendment, you can search people only if you have reasonable grounds for believing they might be carrying a prohibited item.
Mr Hargreaves: Why not?
MR HUMPHRIES: Because it means you cannot have random searches.
At 5.00 pm the debate was interrupted in accordance with standing order 34. The motion for the adjournment of the Assembly having been put and negatived, the debate was resumed.
MR HUMPHRIES
: Mr Speaker, when people go to the airport, their bags are X-rayed, and if the X-ray machine exposes something, the bags are also searched. Not just some people, not just suspicious looking people but everybody who goes to fly on a plane or
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