❓ Question on the success of the Criminal Law Amendment (Out-of-Control Gatherings) Act 2012. The Minister for Police responds positively, citing statistics on parties declared out of control, charges laid, and costs recovered, leading to heated debate.
AnsweredQoN 410Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
CRIMINAL
LAW AMENDMENT (OUT-OF-CONTROL GATHERINGS) ACT 2012
410. Mr C.D. HATTON to the Minister for
Police:
Can the minister please inform the
house of the success of the Liberal–National government's
out-of-control party legislation?
LAW AMENDMENT (OUT-OF-CONTROL GATHERINGS) ACT 2012
410. Mr C.D. HATTON to the Minister for
Police:
Can the minister please inform the
house of the success of the Liberal–National government's
out-of-control party legislation?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Balcatta for
this question, but before I answer the question, I acknowledge the students and
teachers from Como Primary School who are in the gallery this afternoon. The
school is celebrating its 100 th birthday this year. Welcome to
Parliament.
I am sure that many members will
remember the debate in this house on the Criminal Law Amendment (Out‑of‑Control
Gatherings) Bill, which was passed by Parliament in 2012. Members will probably
be aware that the legislation creates an offence of hosting a party that
becomes out of control and other offences to do with the refusal to disperse
when an out-of-control party is declared and police officers request that
people disperse from a particular scene. The offence carries a maximum penalty
of 12 months' imprisonment or a $12 000 fine. I am very pleased to say,
member for Balcatta, that the legislation, contrary to what was flagged in the
debate in this house during its passage through Parliament, has been very
successful. We were advised at the time that the passage of the legislation
would be an empty gesture unless it was backed up by police resourcing. We put
$2.5 million into ensuring that police had nine extra general-purpose dogs to
assist them with managing crowds, a kennel for those dogs to live in and two
transport vehicles. There was a total of $2.5 million to assist police in
ensuring that they could implement the legislation effectively.
Since 2012, 73 parties have been
declared out of control, 11 of which were in 2016.
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Members!
Mrs
L.M. HARVEY : I know that the Labor opposition does not like this
legislation. It did not like it when it was going through the house.
In
fact, if we look at the success, 73 parties were declared out of control, of
which 11 were in 2016, and 127 offenders were charged with a range of offences,
including 65 offences for hosting an out-of-control gathering. In addition to
that, member for Balcatta, and importantly, the costs component of this
legislation was something that police were really in favour of. Police have
been awarded $42 500 in costs as a result of their attendance at out-of-control
gatherings, and that has come from the people who have put these parties on
Facebook, invited hundreds of people to come, knowing that they could not
manage them, and caused a disruption and disturbance and a cost to the
community. We are really pleased with this legislation. I think perhaps the
Labor Party might need to review its platform. The 2015 Labor Party platform
states at page 43 that it will repeal the out-of-control gatherings
legislation.
Ms
M.M. Quirk interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, you do not start again from zero. You are
on three and a half.
Mrs
L.M. HARVEY : In keeping with what members opposite stated in this house
when the legislation went through, I think Hon Michelle Roberts, the member for
Midland, said —
�
passing this legislation will not solve all the problems we face with
out-of-control parties.
Mrs
M.H. Roberts : Unless you back it up with resources. Don't quote me
out of context again. You're deceitful! We voted for the legislation
and this is rubbish.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Midland, I call you to order for the second time.
Mrs
M.H. Roberts : Tell the truth!
Mrs
L.M. HARVEY : I know the member does not like it.
Mrs
M.H. Roberts : I do not like liars!
Withdrawal of Remark
The SPEAKER : Withdraw that,
please.
Mrs M.H. ROBERTS : I just said
that I do not like liars.
The
SPEAKER : I know what you said. Just withdraw it. You were directing your
comment to the minister. Just withdraw it and let us move on.
Mrs
M.H. ROBERTS : I would like to withdraw it, please, Mr Speaker; thank you.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Mrs
L.M. HARVEY : The member for Armadale said —
This
legislation is just another example of the government's wrong
priorities.
Ms
M.M. Quirk interjected.
Mrs
L.M. HARVEY : What did we get from the member for Willagee?
Suspension of Member
The
SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, leave the chamber, please.
[The member for Girrawheen left the
chamber.]
Questions without Notice Resumed
The
SPEAKER : Through the Chair. We do not want any more digression.
Mrs
L.M. HARVEY : The member for Willagee said that it is —
�
an exercise in complete time wasting of this house, complete time wasting of
the members of this house �
If the Labor Party is successful in
March, it will repeal the legislation. That means that we will go back to the
days of old—the out-of-control gatherings.
Mrs
M.H. Roberts interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Midland, I call you to order now for the third time.
Minister, a quick answer through the Chair.
Mrs
L.M. HARVEY : The Liberal–National government remains committed to
this legislation. We remain committed to giving police officers the tools they
need to do their job.
Mr
P.C. Tinley interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Willagee, I call you to order for the second time.
Mrs
L.M. HARVEY : When we go to the election in March, the community will know
that we will ensure that police continue to have this tool—this
resource—so that they can bring order and safety to our communities.
this question, but before I answer the question, I acknowledge the students and
teachers from Como Primary School who are in the gallery this afternoon. The
school is celebrating its 100 th birthday this year. Welcome to
Parliament.
I am sure that many members will
remember the debate in this house on the Criminal Law Amendment (Out‑of‑Control
Gatherings) Bill, which was passed by Parliament in 2012. Members will probably
be aware that the legislation creates an offence of hosting a party that
becomes out of control and other offences to do with the refusal to disperse
when an out-of-control party is declared and police officers request that
people disperse from a particular scene. The offence carries a maximum penalty
of 12 months' imprisonment or a $12 000 fine. I am very pleased to say,
member for Balcatta, that the legislation, contrary to what was flagged in the
debate in this house during its passage through Parliament, has been very
successful. We were advised at the time that the passage of the legislation
would be an empty gesture unless it was backed up by police resourcing. We put
$2.5 million into ensuring that police had nine extra general-purpose dogs to
assist them with managing crowds, a kennel for those dogs to live in and two
transport vehicles. There was a total of $2.5 million to assist police in
ensuring that they could implement the legislation effectively.
Since 2012, 73 parties have been
declared out of control, 11 of which were in 2016.
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Members!
Mrs
L.M. HARVEY : I know that the Labor opposition does not like this
legislation. It did not like it when it was going through the house.
In
fact, if we look at the success, 73 parties were declared out of control, of
which 11 were in 2016, and 127 offenders were charged with a range of offences,
including 65 offences for hosting an out-of-control gathering. In addition to
that, member for Balcatta, and importantly, the costs component of this
legislation was something that police were really in favour of. Police have
been awarded $42 500 in costs as a result of their attendance at out-of-control
gatherings, and that has come from the people who have put these parties on
Facebook, invited hundreds of people to come, knowing that they could not
manage them, and caused a disruption and disturbance and a cost to the
community. We are really pleased with this legislation. I think perhaps the
Labor Party might need to review its platform. The 2015 Labor Party platform
states at page 43 that it will repeal the out-of-control gatherings
legislation.
Ms
M.M. Quirk interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, you do not start again from zero. You are
on three and a half.
Mrs
L.M. HARVEY : In keeping with what members opposite stated in this house
when the legislation went through, I think Hon Michelle Roberts, the member for
Midland, said —
�
passing this legislation will not solve all the problems we face with
out-of-control parties.
Mrs
M.H. Roberts : Unless you back it up with resources. Don't quote me
out of context again. You're deceitful! We voted for the legislation
and this is rubbish.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Midland, I call you to order for the second time.
Mrs
M.H. Roberts : Tell the truth!
Mrs
L.M. HARVEY : I know the member does not like it.
Mrs
M.H. Roberts : I do not like liars!
Withdrawal of Remark
The SPEAKER : Withdraw that,
please.
Mrs M.H. ROBERTS : I just said
that I do not like liars.
The
SPEAKER : I know what you said. Just withdraw it. You were directing your
comment to the minister. Just withdraw it and let us move on.
Mrs
M.H. ROBERTS : I would like to withdraw it, please, Mr Speaker; thank you.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Mrs
L.M. HARVEY : The member for Armadale said —
This
legislation is just another example of the government's wrong
priorities.
Ms
M.M. Quirk interjected.
Mrs
L.M. HARVEY : What did we get from the member for Willagee?
Suspension of Member
The
SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, leave the chamber, please.
[The member for Girrawheen left the
chamber.]
Questions without Notice Resumed
The
SPEAKER : Through the Chair. We do not want any more digression.
Mrs
L.M. HARVEY : The member for Willagee said that it is —
�
an exercise in complete time wasting of this house, complete time wasting of
the members of this house �
If the Labor Party is successful in
March, it will repeal the legislation. That means that we will go back to the
days of old—the out-of-control gatherings.
Mrs
M.H. Roberts interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Midland, I call you to order now for the third time.
Minister, a quick answer through the Chair.
Mrs
L.M. HARVEY : The Liberal–National government remains committed to
this legislation. We remain committed to giving police officers the tools they
need to do their job.
Mr
P.C. Tinley interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Willagee, I call you to order for the second time.
Mrs
L.M. HARVEY : When we go to the election in March, the community will know
that we will ensure that police continue to have this tool—this
resource—so that they can bring order and safety to our communities.
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