Page 1691 - Week 05 - Wednesday, 1 April 2009
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South Australian laws or perhaps an amalgam. But what is clear is that we need laws that prevent the ACT from becoming a haven for organised crime as other jurisdictions drive outlaw motorcycle gangs and other criminal elements out of their jurisdictions.
The defence against such laws, of course, is one of civil liberties and of human rights. Simon Corbell has described the laws introduced in South Australia as draconian, and we know where he stands on the issue. As you may recall, I made some mention of my regard for freedoms that we enjoy in our society in my maiden speech. I also made the point in my maiden speech:
Although I embrace these freedoms, they are only possible in a society that has strong laws that are upheld and enforced fairly and with conviction. Individuals have a responsibility to adhere to our laws, and I will be working to ensure that the police have the powers and the resources to enforce those laws properly.
The government will also say that we do not have a big problem yet so let us wait and see. That means we will wait and then see the same sort of violence in Canberra that has happened in New South Wales before they are prepared to take action. I understand that the crossbench may not support my motion and prefer the government’s more ponderous and ambiguous approach, but my motion before the Assembly makes it clear that I favour a more timely and direct approach. I believe the facts are before us. There is detail to be worked out, but let us not put our heads in the sand and ignore the evidence. Let us not send a weak and ambiguous message to organised crime.
If we are to go with the government’s motion, I will be proposing amendments to that, and I will wait for the debate on that motion. But I will recommend that we do at least three things: firstly, we do need to recognise that there is a real problem with organised crime and outlaw motorcycle gangs across Australia and that we are not immune to the impact of legislative changes in other jurisdictions, in particular what is going to be occurring in New South Wales.
Secondly, let us recognise the importance of a national response, a national framework, when dealing with organised crime. Whether it is enacted at the national level through engagement with the commonwealth or through closer cooperation between the states and territories, we do need a seamless national approach. Thirdly, let us declare unanimously as an Assembly that we will not allow the ACT residents to bear any risk of an increased outlaw motorcycle gang presence because we have failed to provide sufficient legislative deterrent to organised crime in line with other states and territories. Let us declare that we will respond. Let us send a clear message to criminals that we will not be a safe haven. I commend my motion to the house.
MR RATTENBURY (Molonglo) (4.20): The issue that is up for debate today is obviously one of considerable public concern at the moment. It has obviously had quite a lot of coverage in the media. The Greens are alive to this but we are also mindful to ensure that we take a considered approach when we talk about changing the criminal law and other major laws. In order to ensure that we are as informed as possible, we sought a briefing so that we can operate on a basis of facts in addition to what we just read in the press.
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