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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2003 Week 3 Hansard (23 October) . . Page.. 4064 ..
MS TUCKER
: Am I being told I can't speak now?MR SPEAKER
: Yes, you can speak now.MS TUCKER
: Okay, it is just that Mr Hargreaves is making comments. I know what he is saying, and I apologise to Mr Hargreaves.MR SPEAKER
: Order, members!MS TUCKER
: While we support the government's intentions in amending this legislation to address some of the extremely disturbing aspects of it that were introduced in the last Assembly, we also believe it would be a good opportunity to look at the broader issue of support for victims of crime. The notion of restorative justice, for example, has been brought up recently by people representing victims of crime. I think it would be a good opportunity for the Legal Affairs Committee to look at it.MR STEFANIAK
(5.52): I think it is a good idea for something like this to go to the committee. The current act as it stands has been in force for nearly three years. There are a number of groups who will want to have a say on both this bill and general issues. I have heard a number of representations and some concerns over the past few months about how the victims of crime co-ordination unit operates. No doubt, there are a number of groups who want to make comments on the issue of victims.It is a crucially important issue, and it is important at this stage that we get it right. I fully support sending it to my committee, and I understand there is general agreement on that. We hope to be able to report back to the Assembly no later than May next year. That would give ample time for us to have a full inquiry and for every group that needs to make representations to do so.
MR STANHOPE
(Chief Minister, Attorney-General, Minister for Environment and Minister for Community Affairs) (5.53): Obviously, the government would prefer to have seen the bill debated and passed. Whilst not supporting the reference of the matter to the committee, we will not object to it and we will participate fully. We agree that there are some positives in looking at some of the issues, which are relevant and current, but I do not accept some of the concerns that have been expressed about aspects of the government's legislative passage. As I say, the government's preferred position would have been for that bill to be debated and passed, but we will fully support the inquiry, which will now be conducted. I look forward to positive outcomes from it.Question resolved in the affirmative.
Adjournment
Motion (by Mr Wood ) proposed:
That the Assembly do now adjourn.
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