Page 2064 - Week 07 - Thursday, 20 August 2020

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I also know that there are clearly jurisdictions who are not wanting to see these issues move forward, despite the clear recommendations of the Northern Territory royal commission, and despite the clear advice to us from a range of respected community sector organisations who work on the front lines on these issues, and who know that we can take a better approach.

I am appreciative of the support in the Assembly today for the central premise that we do want to move the minimum age of criminal responsibility in the ACT from 10 to 14. I look forward to the work continuing in the Tenth Assembly.

It would be remiss of me to not reflect my disappointment at the way Mr Hanson so often plays the person and not the issue in these conversations. He has also been in this place for 12 years—and thank you for the reminder of my passing years, Mr Hanson. I have been trying to recall, in all of those 12 years, whether Mr Hanson has ever given a response to any of my motions or initiatives in this place in which he has not had a go at me personally for doing it, and simply debated the policy issue. I cannot think of one, but I am sure he will remind me if he can think of one.

The important part of today’s discussion is that this work will now get underway. As I said in my opening remarks, this is an opportunity for our public service to work with our community sector agencies, and to get on and do some really important policy work so that those of us who are fortunate enough to be re-elected to this place after 17 October can come back here knowing that a bunch of that work has progressed, and that we can get on with this issue and make the improvement that needs to be made in our legal system. I thank members for their support for the motion.

Question put:

That Mr Hanson’s amendment to Mr Ramsay’s proposed amendment be agreed to.

The Assembly voted—

Ayes 11

Noes 14

Miss C Burch

Mr Milligan

Mr Barr

Ms Orr

Mr Coe

Mr Parton

Ms Berry

Mr Pettersson

Mrs Dunne

Mr Wall

Ms J Burch

Mr Ramsay

Mr Hanson

Ms Cheyne

Mr Rattenbury

Mrs Jones

Ms Cody

Mr Steel

Mrs Kikkert

Mr Gentleman

Ms Stephen-Smith

Ms Lawder

Mr Gupta

Ms Lee

Ms Le Couteur

Amendment negatived.

Mr Ramsay’s amendment agreed to.

Original question, as amended, resolved in the affirmative.

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