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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2003 Week 2 Hansard (4 March) . . Page.. 480 ..

MS TUCKER: I move amendments 23 and 24 [see schedule 1 at page 492]. These amendments are related to the amendments that have just failed.

Amendments negatived.

Clause 103 agreed to.

Proposed new clause 103A.

MR STANHOPE (Chief Minister, Attorney-General, Minister for Community Affairs and Minister for the Environment) (4.31): I move an amendment to insert new clause 103A [see schedule 2 at page 493]. I have spoken to the matter and will speak again.

MS DUNDAS (4.32): I guess this harks back to the discussion we had earlier. It provides that when it is deemed appropriate that this information be made available it will be made available in the annual report and not the Assembly, which was the thrust of Ms Tucker's amendments. Regardless of where this information is reported, reporting needs to be better.

In the Public Trustee's annual report of 2002 there is a simple bar graph showing the funds raised over the past eight years from the legislation we are seeking to replace here today. The range is from $180,000 in 1995 and 1999 to $4,000 or $5,000 in 1996 and 1997. It appears that the seizure of criminal assets is a seasonal job. The most recent figures are $80,000 in 2001 and $48,000 in 2002.

The corresponding JACS annual report reports only a small figure in 2001 and nil for 2002. Obviously we have some discrepancies that can be tightened up. What also needs to be tightened up is the evidence that the money is being spent on community safety initiatives and crime prevention measures as is prescribed.

From the bar graph in the Public Trustee's report, the act reaps on average $66,000 per year. Nowhere in publicly released documents can I find what services this money has been spent on. Regardless of the success or failure of this amendment, I call on the Attorney to speak with the department to ensure clear reporting not only on the income but also on what services this money is spent on.

Proposed new clause 103A agreed to.

Clauses 104 to 268, by leave, taken together and agreed to.

Schedule 1 agreed to.

Dictionary agreed to.

Title agreed to.

Bill, as amended, agreed to.

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