Page 2717 - Week 09 - Tuesday, 16 September 2014
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or police so that powers can be enforced. This not only ensures safety but allows attendees to enjoy the major events experience that they have paid good money for.
Appropriate laws allowing effective management of major events can have tangible community benefits. Giving authorities the ability to effectively manage security for major events is an important part of the overall safe management of these events.
The government recognises that the security and enforcement powers contained in the bill are significant and, for that reason, the government proposes to keep their use under review. I note the way we regard security in 2014 is very different from the way we regarded security in 2000 when the Major Events Security Act was passed. This is reflected in the revisions to the security framework in this bill.
The government is committed to the view that extraordinary security powers like those available in the bill should be balanced with the appropriate protections and safeguards. The bill engages and places limitations on a number of rights under our Human Rights Act.
The government amendments to be proposed in response to the scrutiny comments will supplement the rights protections already included in the bill, ensuring that these rights are limited in a justifiable and proportionate way and that the least restrictive option available has been taken in each case.
For example, the bill engages and limits the right to privacy by providing entry, search and seizure powers to authorised people. It is necessary to limit this right to ensure a safe and secure environment for major events. As the event must be declared publicly, people attending the event will be on notice about the conditions of entry, search powers and which items are prohibited.
The bill protects the intellectual property of sponsors by creating “clean zones” around major events where unauthorised advertising and sales cannot occur. These protections engage and limit the right to freedom of expression, but are necessary to allow events to be commercially viable. The limitation on the right is restricted as “clean zones” are strictly defined in terms of time period and geography. The bill also provides exemptions so that normal, existing business and individual activities are not curtailed.
The bill supports the right to liberty and security of participants and people attending declared major events as the bill provides powers to ensure a safe experience for everyone at the event.
I also take the opportunity to provide members with an indication of the amendments that will be moved to deal with the matters raised by the scrutiny of bills committee report. The committee raised concern that the power of the executive to make event declarations, notifications or variations is framed in broad terms. Government amendments will be proposed so that the exercise of these powers by the executive is based on being satisfied on “reasonable grounds” about the factors informing a declaration or notification.
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