Ms CARTER - 2001-06-06
Mr Speaker, earlier this year the government released a discussion paper on plans to place tighter controls on some weapons in our community. Several of my constituents are concerned that such controls might impinge on legitimate recreational activities. Can the minister reassure Territorians that legislation arising from this discussion paper will not affect these pursuits?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, it is a most appropriate question in respect of people going about their normal lives and enjoying themselves and being able to continue to do so in terms of weapons control legislation. The legislation, like many other initiatives of this government, is determined to ensure that the Territory remains the safest place to live in Australia. We have a long record of it. Just a few examples: the introduction and the success of minimum mandatory sentencing; in late 1999 the introduction of the best DNA legislation in the country to ensure that those people who need to be apprehended can be; the NTsafe program which has been very successful in terms of bringing the community and government agencies together with police to make the Territory a safer place. That is all underscored by providing police with appropriate resources and equipment, whether they be firearms or safety equipment, or other items that they need to provide a service to Territorians.
This legislation, together with other legislation I will introduce today - the Telecommunications Protection Bill, which has particular relevance to the matter the Leader of the Opposition just raised in terms of police being able to intercept the communications of people perhaps who are dealing in illicit drugs - is a good example of the proactive and continued strategy of this government to ensure the police are appropriately empowered to protect Territorians and their property.
In relation to particular items, if I could give the member for Port Darwin an example, if there was someone having a barbecue at the Alice Springs Telegraph Station and they had a steak knife - quite an appropriate item to have in one’s possession in those circumstances and quite a legitimate use - no questions would be asked. If however, at one in the morning someone was walking up Todd Street to a nightclub and had such an item in their possession, you could reasonably ask why they had a large steak knife in their possession, or even perhaps concealed, at that time of the morning and what their intentions were in relation to its use. This legislation will provide police with the powers to address that situation, whilst the person using such a knife at a barbecue would not be confronted.
It is most important that police do have these powers, and they are extensive powers. The member for Barkly laughs and cackles in the background ...
Mrs Hickey: No, I do not. Isn’t it an offensive weapon? Isn’t it a part of the legislation ...
Mr REED: ... on the opposition benches, and cannot understand because she cannot relate to the ongoing need to update police powers and to ensure that they have the capacity to deal ...
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr REED: Oh, they are waking up! They have the capacity to deal with contemporary circumstances. The Leader of the Opposition says that they have the powers already, or the former Leader of the Opposition, well they do not, because if they did have the appropriate powers, the request from whence this legislation came, vis police, would never have arisen.
It was the police who sought to have these additional powers because it is becoming more common, unfortunately, around the country - not so much in the Northern Territory - but for people to have knives on their person, and it is not an appropriate item to have at a nightclub or a similar type venue. This legislation will enable police to deal with those circumstances. They are ...
Mr Ah Kit: After 26 years, the police bring it to your attention! You should sack yourself as police minister, you idiot!
Mr SPEAKER: Member for Arnhem!
Mr REED: For the benefit of people listening to this broadcast, that is the honourable member for Arnhem interjecting. At 11 o’clock he only puts in an hour in this Chamber. He will be out of here having a sleep at 11 and we will have peace and quiet. His maximum effort in the day is to come into Question Time and cause disruption. The Leader of the Opposition does not have the ability to control him.
In regard to this legislation, in the public comment period, some 33 comments came forward from members of the public. There was concern, for example, that crossbows were going to be prohibited weapons. They will be controlled weapons, although pistol crossbows, which are very serious weapon and can cause a serious injury to someone and are concealable, are going to be prohibited weapons. But crossbows in themselves for use in sporting activities will be controlled weapons.
There will also be controls on body armour. Whilst it is appropriate for some people to have it, for example, Correctional Services officers or members of the police force or defence forces, they will be approved to use it. It is not an appropriate piece of apparel in the normal day-to-day life of Territorians, and there will be controls placed upon that.
This legislation on its introduction will ensure that the government moves with the times; responds to the wishes of police; provides them with adequate powers to ensure that the Territory remains the safest place in Australia. I don’t think Territorians, apart from the seven Labor members opposite, would expect anything less.7
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, it is a most appropriate question in respect of people going about their normal lives and enjoying themselves and being able to continue to do so in terms of weapons control legislation. The legislation, like many other initiatives of this government, is determined to ensure that the Territory remains the safest place to live in Australia. We have a long record of it. Just a few examples: the introduction and the success of minimum mandatory sentencing; in late 1999 the introduction of the best DNA legislation in the country to ensure that those people who need to be apprehended can be; the NTsafe program which has been very successful in terms of bringing the community and government agencies together with police to make the Territory a safer place. That is all underscored by providing police with appropriate resources and equipment, whether they be firearms or safety equipment, or other items that they need to provide a service to Territorians.
This legislation, together with other legislation I will introduce today - the Telecommunications Protection Bill, which has particular relevance to the matter the Leader of the Opposition just raised in terms of police being able to intercept the communications of people perhaps who are dealing in illicit drugs - is a good example of the proactive and continued strategy of this government to ensure the police are appropriately empowered to protect Territorians and their property.
In relation to particular items, if I could give the member for Port Darwin an example, if there was someone having a barbecue at the Alice Springs Telegraph Station and they had a steak knife - quite an appropriate item to have in one’s possession in those circumstances and quite a legitimate use - no questions would be asked. If however, at one in the morning someone was walking up Todd Street to a nightclub and had such an item in their possession, you could reasonably ask why they had a large steak knife in their possession, or even perhaps concealed, at that time of the morning and what their intentions were in relation to its use. This legislation will provide police with the powers to address that situation, whilst the person using such a knife at a barbecue would not be confronted.
It is most important that police do have these powers, and they are extensive powers. The member for Barkly laughs and cackles in the background ...
Mrs Hickey: No, I do not. Isn’t it an offensive weapon? Isn’t it a part of the legislation ...
Mr REED: ... on the opposition benches, and cannot understand because she cannot relate to the ongoing need to update police powers and to ensure that they have the capacity to deal ...
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr REED: Oh, they are waking up! They have the capacity to deal with contemporary circumstances. The Leader of the Opposition says that they have the powers already, or the former Leader of the Opposition, well they do not, because if they did have the appropriate powers, the request from whence this legislation came, vis police, would never have arisen.
It was the police who sought to have these additional powers because it is becoming more common, unfortunately, around the country - not so much in the Northern Territory - but for people to have knives on their person, and it is not an appropriate item to have at a nightclub or a similar type venue. This legislation will enable police to deal with those circumstances. They are ...
Mr Ah Kit: After 26 years, the police bring it to your attention! You should sack yourself as police minister, you idiot!
Mr SPEAKER: Member for Arnhem!
Mr REED: For the benefit of people listening to this broadcast, that is the honourable member for Arnhem interjecting. At 11 o’clock he only puts in an hour in this Chamber. He will be out of here having a sleep at 11 and we will have peace and quiet. His maximum effort in the day is to come into Question Time and cause disruption. The Leader of the Opposition does not have the ability to control him.
In regard to this legislation, in the public comment period, some 33 comments came forward from members of the public. There was concern, for example, that crossbows were going to be prohibited weapons. They will be controlled weapons, although pistol crossbows, which are very serious weapon and can cause a serious injury to someone and are concealable, are going to be prohibited weapons. But crossbows in themselves for use in sporting activities will be controlled weapons.
There will also be controls on body armour. Whilst it is appropriate for some people to have it, for example, Correctional Services officers or members of the police force or defence forces, they will be approved to use it. It is not an appropriate piece of apparel in the normal day-to-day life of Territorians, and there will be controls placed upon that.
This legislation on its introduction will ensure that the government moves with the times; responds to the wishes of police; provides them with adequate powers to ensure that the Territory remains the safest place in Australia. I don’t think Territorians, apart from the seven Labor members opposite, would expect anything less.7
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016