Page 2205 - Week 06 - Wednesday, 9 May 2012

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that the criminal justice system is well served. It is a matter of giving hope to victims. It is a matter of giving hope and consolation to people who are adversely affected by crime.

It is a matter of giving hope to law enforcement agencies, the police and the prosecutors, who are at their wits’ end seeing people coming before the court system time and again—in the case of Massey at least 10 times—on breaches of bail. In relation to this matter on which I have been gagged today, it is at least seven times on serious matters of reoffending and failure to comply. This minister cannot address these issues and he should be condemned for that. (Time expired.)

MR CORBELL (Molonglo—Attorney-General, Minister for Police and Emergency Services and Minister for the Environment and Sustainable Development) (11.58): I move the following amendment to Mrs Dunne’s motion:

Omit paragraphs (1) and (2), substitute:

“(1) notes that:

(a) bail is an important element of the criminal justice system;

(b) generally accused people are entitled to be released on bail unless there is an unacceptable risk to the safety of the community; and

(2) calls on the Attorney-General to advise the Assembly by 5 June 2012 on how the Government monitors and enforces instances of non-compliance with bail conditions.”.

It is important for me at this first instance, given, if you like, the origin of Mrs Dunne’s motion today, to acknowledge the very sad and tragic events of last week which saw the death of Ms Linda Cox and the serious injury to Ms Ashlee Bumpus. All of us are aware of the significant heartache and grief that have been experienced not just, most obviously, by their families but also by the broader community and their colleagues in ACT Health. I reiterate the comments of the Chief Minister in extending our most sincere condolences to their families in relation to those tragic incidents.

Turning to the matter raised by Mrs Dunne, there is no doubt that the operation of bail is an important element of the ACT’s criminal justice system and it remains an issue which the community is rightly engaged with and interested in. The amendments that I am proposing to Mrs Dunne’s motion seek to recognise these concerns and to focus on what the government and law enforcement agencies do to monitor compliance with conditions imposed by a court.

Mrs Dunne is seeking that I provide certain data to the Assembly on some of her questions. My concern is that the matters raised by Mrs Dunne cannot be extracted from our criminal justice agencies at the press of a button, and it is not the case that

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