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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2004 Week 05 Hansard (Friday, 14 May 2004) . . Page.. 1975 ..

economic prosperity again, just to see the cycle being repeated? I certainly hope not but I am not optimistic.

There are some reasonable initiatives in my portfolio areas. Firstly, in the justice area, I am pleased to see an Aboriginal justice centre—a one-stop shop, as I think as the Chief Minister described it. I do not know how well it is going to work. I have had some dealings in private practice with various aspects of trying to improve the delivery of services to indigenous people and there are significant problems. But it is there, it may well work, and I certainly hope it does. I will give a tick to that as a good initiative.

Similarly, I am pleased to see money for the restorative justice unit, especially as it will apply to juveniles in the first year, extending to adult jurisdictions in the second year. Again, this is hardly the be-all and end-all of initiatives but it is one that is worthy of support.

I was interested to see that $1.3 million has been allocated to a program to reduce property crime, with resources being directed at recidivists and high-risk offenders. I have serious doubts as to whether the government is really going to be able to deliver on that. I wish them well. We did a study when we were in government which showed that there were some 234 recidivists—you can finger them. A program like this is to be welcomed but is it going to work? We will have to wait and see.

This time last year I can recall the government pruning 14 crime prevention programs down to 10, dropping the amount being spent by only about $700,000. A lot of money—$1.3 million—is being spent on this one, but let us just see how it actually works. If the government’s track record is anything to go by, we may be sadly disappointed. But, on the surface, it is a worthwhile initiative. My colleague has already mentioned the fact that there are only 10 extra police officers—there should, in fact, be 121, in accordance with the promise you lot made before the last election.

There are not a huge number of initiatives in the justice area. I seem to recall that in years gone there have been 10 or 12 initiatives a year. However, this budget contains an initiative that is dear to the Chief Minister’s heart—the implementation of ACT human rights. This appropriation is for additional staff necessary to carry out the government’s new legislation. Basically, the amount is $252,000 a year, rising only by $1,000 each year. I think you are going to be sadly under what you will actually need to spend.

This just shows the government’s complete naivety in relation to human rights and the can of worms they have opened—the incredible expense that will be required to implement this totally unnecessary act right across the spectrum of government departments and the community. They seem to be taking every possible step to use this act. Only yesterday we had another attempt to impinge on freedom of speech, with the Chief Minister and his office threatening to sue everyone who criticised them in relation to a number of comments made apropos a debate that took place yesterday. So much for free speech; so much for human rights.

As I said, I think they have, sadly, underestimated the amount of money that this foolish gesture, which no other Australian jurisdiction has gone down the path of implementing, will actually cost them. I suggest to you, Treasurer, that you might have to spend a hell

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