Opposition questions the Premier regarding a perceived loophole in the Community Protection (Offender Reporting) Act concerning child pornography offenders and the sex offender register. The Premier deflects, accusing the opposition of misrepresenting his previous statements and not telling the full story.

AnsweredQoN 309Legislative Assembly
Asked
23 June 2005
Portfolio
Premier

QuestionView source ↗

I refer the Premier to his statement in this house yesterday in which he said that the loophole in the Community Protection (Offender Reporting) Act that allows child pornographers to escape being included on the sex offender register was not a problem because the act gives the Commissioner of Police the power to include them anyway, and ask - (1) Is it not true that section 15 of that act allows the police commissioner to include on the sex offender register only individuals who were convicted prior to the act being proclaimed, and that somebody convicted of child pornography today would not automatically be included on that register because of the blunder made by the Minister for Police when she put this bill through the Parliament? (2) Will the Premier now support my private member’s bill, which will fix this problem in a matter of about two hours? Dr G.I. GALLOP

AnswerView source ↗

(1)-(2) At no time during my answer to this question yesterday did I say that this matter was not a problem. That is a construction of the Leader of the Opposition’s staff or of his mind or something. I said that, as usual, the Leader of the Opposition had not told the full story. Inasmuch as legislation needs to be added to the list, it will be done when it is proposed by the Minister for Justice. Once again, I urge all members on this side of the house to reflect upon the fact that whenever the Liberal Party puts forward a proposition or makes a statement they must make sure that the assumptions behind that statement are correct. On this occasion the assumptions were not correct. At no time did I say it was not a problem. I said that the member had not, as usual, told the full story.
(1) Is it not true that section 15 of that act allows the police commissioner to include on the sex offender register only individuals who were convicted prior to the act being proclaimed, and that somebody convicted of child pornography today would not automatically be included on that register because of the blunder made by the Minister for Police when she put this bill through the Parliament? (2) Will the Premier now support my private member’s bill, which will fix this problem in a matter of about two hours? Dr G.I. GALLOP replied: (1)-(2) At no time during my answer to this question yesterday did I say that this matter was not a problem. That is a construction of the Leader of the Opposition’s staff or of his mind or something. I said that, as usual, the Leader of the Opposition had not told the full story. Inasmuch as legislation needs to be added to the list, it will be done when it is proposed by the Minister for Justice. Once again, I urge all members on this side of the house to reflect upon the fact that whenever the Liberal Party puts forward a proposition or makes a statement they must make sure that the assumptions behind that statement are correct. On this occasion the assumptions were not correct. At no time did I say it was not a problem. I said that the member had not, as usual, told the full story.
(2) Will the Premier now support my private member’s bill, which will fix this problem in a matter of about two hours? Dr G.I. GALLOP replied: (1)-(2) At no time during my answer to this question yesterday did I say that this matter was not a problem. That is a construction of the Leader of the Opposition’s staff or of his mind or something. I said that, as usual, the Leader of the Opposition had not told the full story. Inasmuch as legislation needs to be added to the list, it will be done when it is proposed by the Minister for Justice. Once again, I urge all members on this side of the house to reflect upon the fact that whenever the Liberal Party puts forward a proposition or makes a statement they must make sure that the assumptions behind that statement are correct. On this occasion the assumptions were not correct. At no time did I say it was not a problem. I said that the member had not, as usual, told the full story.
Dr G.I. GALLOP replied: (1)-(2) At no time during my answer to this question yesterday did I say that this matter was not a problem. That is a construction of the Leader of the Opposition’s staff or of his mind or something. I said that, as usual, the Leader of the Opposition had not told the full story. Inasmuch as legislation needs to be added to the list, it will be done when it is proposed by the Minister for Justice. Once again, I urge all members on this side of the house to reflect upon the fact that whenever the Liberal Party puts forward a proposition or makes a statement they must make sure that the assumptions behind that statement are correct. On this occasion the assumptions were not correct. At no time did I say it was not a problem. I said that the member had not, as usual, told the full story.
(1)-(2) At no time during my answer to this question yesterday did I say that this matter was not a problem. That is a construction of the Leader of the Opposition’s staff or of his mind or something. I said that, as usual, the Leader of the Opposition had not told the full story. Inasmuch as legislation needs to be added to the list, it will be done when it is proposed by the Minister for Justice. Once again, I urge all members on this side of the house to reflect upon the fact that whenever the Liberal Party puts forward a proposition or makes a statement they must make sure that the assumptions behind that statement are correct. On this occasion the assumptions were not correct. At no time did I say it was not a problem. I said that the member had not, as usual, told the full story.

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