Page 2308 - Week 07 - Thursday, 4 August 2016
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bill, and that is consorting laws. He made a bit of a point about the anti-consorting laws. I would note that that is not part of this bill anymore. That is not one of the amendments. It is interesting, because this is something that, again, has been long argued for on this side of the chamber, the need for consorting laws.
There is advice from ACT Policing that we do need consorting laws in this jurisdiction that are similar to those in New South Wales, that there is evidence that there is an increased outlaw motorcycle gang activity occurring in the ACT as a result of the absence of those laws. We were meant to be debating them today. That was the initial plan, Madam Assistant Speaker.
There was going to be in this place also, as we understood it, a debate on consorting laws. Again, my understanding is that these are laws that the Attorney-General wanted. Certainly that was the indication. That was what was being put forward by the government, that this is something that the Attorney-General actually wanted.
Obviously there have been lots of barneys going on behind the scenes. We have not got everything we want today. But my sense is that the Attorney-General may have eventually come to the realisation—eventually come to the realisation—that these consorting laws that we have been arguing for for a long time actually are necessary.
But you can see what happens in the Labor Party if you get too far towards the sensible centre, if you start to consider the community and what is needed to keep the community safe. What you start to see are the consequences of that. I think the fact that this will possibly be Mr Corbell’s last bill or penultimate bill dealing with these sorts of matters in this Assembly gives some indication what happens in the left faction of the Labor Party when you come too close to the sensible centre.
Amendment agreed to.
Clause 2, as amended, agreed to.
Clause 3.
MR CORBELL (Molonglo—Deputy Chief Minister, Attorney-General, Minister for Health, Minister for Police and Emergency Services and Minister for the Environment and Climate Change) (11.53): I move amendment No 2 circulated in my name [see schedule 1 at page 2385]. Amendment No 2 is technical in nature. It reflects the fact that the legislation amended by this bill will now include the Firearms Act 1996.
Amendment agreed to.
Clause 3, as amended, agreed to.
Clause 4 agreed to.
Clause 5.
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