Page 2056 - Week 06 - Tuesday, 4 June 2019
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responsibility for supervision of people to make sure they are meeting their parole conditions.
If, embedded in Mr Hanson’s question, he has specific concerns over a particular case or particular cases he is aware of, I am very happy to receive that information. But I remind members of the Assembly that the Sentence Administration Board operates at arms-length from government and makes its decisions on parole based on the rules set out in the legislation.
MRS JONES: Minister, are you doing anything to address this issue and how these people and the conditions have contributed to any increase in recidivism if they are not able to leave the ACT?
MR RATTENBURY: Mrs Jones has not listened to my previous answers. People can leave the ACT if they seek that condition approval from the Sentence Administration Board. If somebody says, “I’ve got family connections in northern New South Wales; they’ll provide me with somewhere to live and a job in the family business,” for example, I imagine the Sentence Administration Board would look very positively on that sort of representation, because they would see that as a very positive opportunity for that detainee to take up. Similarly, I am aware of other cases where people have talked about possibly leaving the territory and going back interstate to be with family. I am aware that the Sentence Administration Board looks kindly on that. These are matters that are taken into account in the decision-making process. If Mrs Jones or Mr Hanson have specific concerns, I would be very happy to receive them.
Budget—ACT Policing
MR PETTERSSON: My question is to the Minister for Police and Emergency Services. Minister, are you able to provide details about the government’s announcement last week concerning ACT Policing?
MR GENTLEMAN: I thank Mr Pettersson for his timely and very important question. Despite what others in this place may wish to spin, Canberra is a very safe city and we are fortunate to live in an inclusive city with a fantastic police force.
The job of ACT Policing members is not just reacting to crime. It is more than that. It is about engaging with Canberrans and the many communities that make up our wonderful city. I am reminded of a recent event where Aunty Violet was stranded because her car had broken down. She called ACT Policing, who helped her get to the event in time. This is just one example of the service that the men and women of ACT Policing provide—how they work to build trust within the community. However, the current model for policing does not reflect this.
A few years back the previous Chief Police Officer embarked on a project to change the policing model. This was taken up by the current CPO on his appointment late last year. Under their combined leadership, ACT Policing has been diligently working towards what has been called police futures. I was pleased last week to announce funding to support the implementation of this work.
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