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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2003 Week 10 Hansard (23 September) . . Page.. 3545 ..

MR STANHOPE (continuing):

In the context of computer security, I am pleased to be able to announce that the security of computers within corrections is far greater than it is within the Assembly, where, as we know, others in the past had no difficulty in gaining access to computers and to information in this place by hacking into the computers of ministers, for instance.

Mr Smyth: I take a point of order under standing order 118 (b), Mr Speaker. The minister is now debating the issue, instead of answering the question.

MR SPEAKER: Come to the point of the question, Chief Minister.

MR STANHOPE: The point of the question that I was discussing was computer security and we do know, Mr Speaker, that that is something that has not been too great and is not something in which this opposition, the Liberal Party in this place, places much store. Their willingness, propensity or capacity to hack into other people's machines is legend.

MR SPEAKER: Order! Come to the point of the question, Chief Minister.

MR STANHOPE: The entry into the offices of corrections and stealing of property from there is absolutely reprehensible, as is all crime. It did occur. I have not had a report from the police, but I am more than happy to pursue that, Mr Stefaniak, to see whether the entry gained on that occasion was as a result of some essential or inherent weakness in security at that building. If it was, I have to say to my officials that they had better get off their backsides and fix it.

Apart from that, whether it was simply a result of the cleverness or otherwise of the criminals involved will perhaps be something revealed by a report to me from the police. I am more than happy to chase up that issue, Mr Stefaniak, and find out whether those who occupy that building or perhaps the building manager have been complacent in relation to the security of the building. I take the point you make: it is unacceptable that criminals gain access to government buildings. But criminals do lots of things that are unacceptable.

MR STEFANIAK: Mr Speaker, I have a supplementary question, but the Chief Minister may not be able to answer it. How many ACT government laptops have been stolen in the past 12 months?

MR STANHOPE: I do not know, but I am more than happy to pursue that. Indeed, I would be more than happy to get for Mr Stefaniak such details for, say, the last five years for the purposes of balance and historical information.

Indigenous child protection workers

MS DUNDAS: My question is to the Minister for Education, Youth and Family Services. I understand that the Department of Education, Youth and Family Services employs indigenous child protection workers. Where there are reports of suspected child abuse or neglect in indigenous families which are then followed up by a visit from a departmental worker, are any of these initial visits undertaken by non-indigenous workers?

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