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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2002 Week 11 Hansard (26 September) . . Page.. 3322 ..

MR STANHOPE (continuing):

those that it identified as requiring further consideration, such as the term of the Assembly.

Some of the committee's recommendations, however, are dependent on the outcomes of discussions with the Commonwealth government, and may require further consideration as matters progress. In particular, the government notes that extending the term of the Assembly from its present three years to four years may be effective in reducing electoral costs. It may also have other net advantages.

I will shortly be requesting that this Assembly refer this issue to the Standing Committee on Administration and Procedure for consideration. I thank the standing committee again for its report on this matter. The report provides a comprehensive guide to the likely issues surrounding an increase in the number of members of the Assembly, and I commend the government response to the Assembly.

I move:

That the Assembly takes note of the report.

Debate (on motion by Mr Stefaniak ) adjourned to the next sitting.

Sentencing review issues

Paper and statement by minister

MR STANHOPE (Chief Minister, Attorney-General, Minister for Health, Minister for Community Affairs and Minister for Women): Mr Speaker, for the information of members I present the following paper:

Sentencing Review-Issues Paper-September 2002.

I ask for leave to make a statement.

Leave granted.

MR STANHOPE: Mr Speaker, I am pleased to table today the first issues paper prepared by the sentencing review. When I announced the sentencing review earlier this year, I made it clear that this government believes that sentences should do more than just punish crime: they should also help to prevent crime, including by addressing the causes of offending. Our position is consistent with the purposes of sentencing as set out in the Crimes Act 1900: punishment, deterrence, rehabilitation, protection of the community, and incapacitation.

The first task of the sentencing review has been to consider how the various sentencing options can best be used to achieve these statutory sentencing purposes, with particular emphasis on the use of non-custodial and diversionary sentencing options. An exciting component of this project is the survey of sentencing practices currently being conducted in the ACT Magistrates Court. The survey, designed with assistance from the Australian Institute of Criminology, will ask magistrates to identify which of the statutory sentencing purposes and principles are most determinative in cases where magistrates

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