Page 993 - Week 04 - Tuesday, 24 March 2015
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Fourth, the committee recommends that the ACT government develop a new funding model for statutory agencies and fund agencies accordingly. This arises from the committee hearing, when considering annual reports over successive years, that demands are increasing on statutory agencies but resourcing does not respond. In the committee’s view something has to change. This would be better done in a structural way rather than taking an ad hoc approach.
Fifth, the committee recommends that an avenue be created so that the ACT human rights commissioner can accept human rights complaints. It is a little-known fact that such an avenue has never been available, even after the passing of the Human Rights Act 2004. As things stand, a person with a human rights complaint must approach the ACT Supreme Court, which entails considerable cost—more than most could contemplate. This change is necessary if the Human Rights Act is to deliver on its promise and would result in greater justice and fairness in the ACT.
On behalf of our committee, I would like to thank Dr Brian Lloyd, the secretary to the Standing Committee on Justice and Community Safety, for his tireless efforts and contribution to the inquiry into annual reports 2013-14.
In closing, I would also like to thank witnesses who appeared before the committee in the course of the inquiry, and my fellow members of the committee, who have included Mr Gentleman and Ms Berry, in addition to my present colleagues on the committee, Dr Bourke, Mrs Jones and Ms Porter. I commend the report to the Assembly.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
Report 4
MR DOSZPOT (Molonglo) (10.35): I present the following report:
Justice and Community Safety—Standing Committee—Report 4—Inquiry into Sentencing, dated 24 March 2015, together with a copy of the extracts of the relevant minutes of proceedings.
I move:
That the report be noted.
Madam Speaker, I rise in connection with the Standing Committee on Justice and Community Safety’s report on sentencing. As members will be aware, this has been an extensive inquiry with broad terms of reference. The committee received 19 submissions and held four public hearings at which it heard from 23 witnesses, most of them significant figures in the legal fraternity in the ACT. The committee passed the motion defining terms of reference for the inquiry on 1 May 2013. The terms of reference include sections on each part of the criminal justice system; legal frameworks for sentencing; practical matters, such as the administration of bail, parole and restorative justice; and alternative approaches to sentencing practice.
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