Page 738 - Week 03 - Tuesday, 19 March 2019
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MR GENTLEMAN: I thank Mr Hanson for the question. I would like to quote the Chief Police Officer in a recent media interview. He said that ACT Policing supports nationally consistent legislation to deal with the national issue of serious and organised crime and will continue discussions with government to explore appropriate powers to prevent, deter and—
Mr Hanson: On a point of order, Madam Speaker, my supplementary question, noting the latest comments, specifically asked whether ACT Policing have previously asked for anti-consorting laws in the ACT. Could the minister address not just the latest comments but also whether there have been previous requests, perhaps from the previous CPO, the one before that or the current CPO?
MADAM SPEAKER: Are you able to answer that in the time you have left, minister?
MR GENTLEMAN: Yes. I want to continue with the quote from the CPO, who of course is working with all of the current availability of evidence before him. He says:
… it is important to note that no single power should be seen as a cure-all and serious and organised crime is not limited to openly identifiable criminal gangs, such as outlaw motorcycle gangs …
ACT Policing will continue to proactively target, prosecute and disrupt those involved in serious and organised crime in the ACT, regardless of any individual affiliation.
The key sentence in the statement is:
… it is important to note that no single power should be seen as a cure-all and serious and organised crime is not limited to openly identifiable criminal gangs, such as outlaw motorcycle gangs …
If the one piece of legislation that the opposition want to see as the cure-all would work then why do we in the ACT have a lower number of criminal gang members per 100,000 in population than any state with anti-consorting laws—a lower number of criminal gang members compared to any state with anti-consorting laws in Australia?
Environment—Namadgi National Park
MS ORR: My question is to the minister for environment. Minister, why is the government taking steps to protect the Namadgi National Park?
MR GENTLEMAN: I thank Ms Orr for her very important question and, of course, her passion for protecting our environment. It is something that many on the other side could learn from. We are taking action because these unique wetlands provide a good home to a range of flora and fauna. Our high country bogs and fens are unique ecosystems that occur along high country streams, drainage lines, valley edges and valley floors more than 720 metres above sea level in the ACT. They are permanently waterlogged and typically have no trees due to strong, cold winds that sweep the area.
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