Page 4689 - Week 13 - Tuesday, 31 October 2017
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Mr Coe: Madam Speaker, I raise a point of order on relevance. Out of respect to the international visitors and the international students in Canberra, whom Mrs Kikkert asked about, I ask that you call Mr Gentleman to be directly relevant to that question.
MADAM SPEAKER: Mr Gentleman, do you have anything to add to your answer in relation to international students?
MR GENTLEMAN: The police did of course attend and deal with that situation. I understand that they are continuing their investigations and that they expect either charges or court proceedings very shortly.
Director of Public Prosecutions—resourcing
MR HANSON: My question is to the Attorney-General. Attorney-General, the DPP’s annual report again states that the lack of resources are, and I quote, “starting to have a significant impact. The Supreme Court’s capacity to hear concurrent jury trials will be greatly increased, however I will have no capacity to meet this increase. I can only hope that at long last my plea for additional resourcing will be met.” This follows, Attorney-General, numerous pleas from the DPP for additional resources. Attorney-General, why are you increasing the court’s ability to conduct trials but not providing the funding for the DPP to bring trials to that court?
MR RAMSAY: I thank the shadow attorney-general for his question, though I do not agree with the premise of the question, which is that the resources are not being provided. I would like to remind the Assembly that in this last budget there has been increased funding for the DPP.
As I have also informed the Assembly before, and as Mr Hanson is well aware, I requested that there be a review of the resourcing of the DPP. The government has received that. As Mr Hanson is well aware, the government is working with that and will be responding in due course.
MR HANSON: Attorney-General, will you provide to this Assembly a copy of that study that your directorate has conducted?
MR RAMSAY: The review was done for the purpose of consideration by cabinet in terms of the budget cabinet decisions and it is inappropriate in relation to that cabinet decision to release it.
MR WALL: Attorney, does the report commissioned by government highlight that there is under-resourcing or underfunding of the DPP?
MR RAMSAY: Noting that the report is a report that has been commissioned for decision by the cabinet, it is appropriate that that be held with the cabinet. But we will be responding in due course in relation to the ongoing funding of and increasing the funding for the DPP.
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