Page 3901 - Week 12 - Wednesday, 19 October 2005
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I also recommend to members, who may be interested, that they can provide financial support to Karinya House by way of their project 1000. They are looking for 1,000 people to donate at least $200 a year to Karinya House. Those donations are tax deductible. If members are interested, they can obtain the information necessary to provide for Karinya House from my office at any time. Congratulations, Karinya House, and congratulations to all those who support it.
Wakakirri story dance competition
Policing—forensics
MS PORTER (Ginninderra) (5.58): I was going to rise in this place this evening to talk about the wonderful Wakakirri story dance competition and its ACT finals that I attended along with my colleague Ms MacDonald on Friday evening. I enjoyed that event very much, as I know Ms MacDonald did. I was pleased to see that, in its 14th year, after starting with 20 schools back then, it is now attracting 600 schools nationally, with over 200 from the ACT.
I was pleased to see two schools in my electorate, St John the Apostle at Florey and Aranda primary school, win awards—St John the Apostle winning division 2, with “Gorillas in the mist”; and Aranda, a silver for “Peter Pan”. I was going to talk about that. Ms MacDonald might be talking about that later.
What I would really like to talk about now is an interesting experience that I had in recent hours. I think Mr Pratt will be particularly interested in this interesting experience, because he has such little faith in our police service and forensics, it appears. Yesterday, I returned home, after attending an evening event with the local Guides group, along with the Chief Minister, to find that, unfortunately, I had experienced a break-in at my home. The offending person or persons had ransacked the house and attempted to find cash, I suspect, because, in the end, very little of value was taken.
We rang the police, obviously, who were very prompt in their response and gave us an estimated time that they would attend. Secondly, after attending the crime scene, taking photos, et cetera, the police undertook to send a forensic team out to the home to take forensic evidence. They will do this later today. So much for forensics not attending the crime scene, Mr Pratt! I am sure Mr Pratt realises that this prompt and effective response has nothing—
Mr Pratt: Did you tell them you were a Labor MLA?
MS PORTER: I was just about to say that, Mr Pratt. I was going to say that I thought that you would not believe that their prompt and effective response was anything to do with my status in this place. However, just in case you do have that suspicion, which apparently you do—and I am very disappointed that you feel that way—I must assure Mr Pratt that at all times in our communications with the police communications unit my married name was used, which of course is not Porter. At no time were they aware who I am.
Mr Pratt, I wanted you to know that our police service is on the job; it is prompt in its response; and its response is thorough, including a forensic investigation course. And
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