❓ Mr Birney questions the Minister about discrepancies between the government's Terrorism Bill and concerns raised by Assistant Commissioner Caporn regarding gaps in counter-terrorism measures. The Minister deflects, emphasizing the Commissioner's support and highlighting future legislation addressing detention powers.
AnsweredQoN 576Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the government’s long-awaited Terrorism (Extraordinary Powers) Bill, which will be dealt with in the Assembly this week, and to the comments of the assistant commissioner for counter-terrorism and state security, Dave Caporn, during an opposition briefing on this legislation, when he said that this legislation does not cover all the gaps. (1) Given that the state’s top anti-terrorism police officer has indicated that the government’s legislation does not adequately address the issue of terrorism in Western Australia, will the minister advise the house which gaps in the fight against terrorism Assistant Commissioner Caporn was referring to? (2) If the minister is unaware of the gaps that Assistant Commissioner Caporn was referring to, will she undertake to seek his advice on this issue and to make a statement regarding his concerns to this house before the end of this day’s sitting? Mrs M.H. ROBERTS
AnswerView source ↗
(1)-(2) The advice that I received on the terrorism bill came directly from the Commissioner of Police himself. The Commissioner of Police in this state signs off on what the WA Police is recommending to government. The legislation before the Assembly is as recommended by the WA Police and supported by the commissioner and, to the best of my knowledge, supported by Assistant Commissioner Caporn. Maybe the Leader of the Opposition is playing semantics. I would have thought that if the Leader of the Opposition had a question about that statement, he would have chosen to ask Mr Caporn himself when he had the briefing. The second point I make is that following the counter-terrorism legislation that will be debated in the house this week will be the package that was agreed to by the Premiers and the Prime Minister of Australia at the recent Council of Australian Governments meeting. For example, under that proposed legislation there is the capacity to detain people for up to 14 days. Powers of detention do not exist in the bill that is before this house. That is pretty obvious. I would have thought that anyone who looked at that bill, looked at what the Prime Minister has been calling for in the current debate and looked at what is in place in the United Kingdom would have come to that conclusion himself. I stress that the package before us in the Assembly is a very sensible package. In fact, when I asked the Commissioner of Police much earlier this year what powers we could possibly give WA police to assist them in the fight against terrorism, the commissioner said that he would get WA police to do a review. I understand that Assistant Commissioner Caporn had a special role in that review. What is before the Parliament is what came from the Police Service regarding the powers it is asking for at this stage. Australia-wide, a further decision has now been made by the Premiers and the Prime Minister about detention powers and some other powers, and that legislation will come before this Parliament in due course.
(1) Given that the state’s top anti-terrorism police officer has indicated that the government’s legislation does not adequately address the issue of terrorism in Western Australia, will the minister advise the house which gaps in the fight against terrorism Assistant Commissioner Caporn was referring to? (2) If the minister is unaware of the gaps that Assistant Commissioner Caporn was referring to, will she undertake to seek his advice on this issue and to make a statement regarding his concerns to this house before the end of this day’s sitting? Mrs M.H. ROBERTS replied: (1)-(2) The advice that I received on the terrorism bill came directly from the Commissioner of Police himself. The Commissioner of Police in this state signs off on what the WA Police is recommending to government. The legislation before the Assembly is as recommended by the WA Police and supported by the commissioner and, to the best of my knowledge, supported by Assistant Commissioner Caporn. Maybe the Leader of the Opposition is playing semantics. I would have thought that if the Leader of the Opposition had a question about that statement, he would have chosen to ask Mr Caporn himself when he had the briefing. The second point I make is that following the counter-terrorism legislation that will be debated in the house this week will be the package that was agreed to by the Premiers and the Prime Minister of Australia at the recent Council of Australian Governments meeting. For example, under that proposed legislation there is the capacity to detain people for up to 14 days. Powers of detention do not exist in the bill that is before this house. That is pretty obvious. I would have thought that anyone who looked at that bill, looked at what the Prime Minister has been calling for in the current debate and looked at what is in place in the United Kingdom would have come to that conclusion himself. I stress that the package before us in the Assembly is a very sensible package. In fact, when I asked the Commissioner of Police much earlier this year what powers we could possibly give WA police to assist them in the fight against terrorism, the commissioner said that he would get WA police to do a review. I understand that Assistant Commissioner Caporn had a special role in that review. What is before the Parliament is what came from the Police Service regarding the powers it is asking for at this stage. Australia-wide, a further decision has now been made by the Premiers and the Prime Minister about detention powers and some other powers, and that legislation will come before this Parliament in due course.
(2) If the minister is unaware of the gaps that Assistant Commissioner Caporn was referring to, will she undertake to seek his advice on this issue and to make a statement regarding his concerns to this house before the end of this day’s sitting? Mrs M.H. ROBERTS replied: (1)-(2) The advice that I received on the terrorism bill came directly from the Commissioner of Police himself. The Commissioner of Police in this state signs off on what the WA Police is recommending to government. The legislation before the Assembly is as recommended by the WA Police and supported by the commissioner and, to the best of my knowledge, supported by Assistant Commissioner Caporn. Maybe the Leader of the Opposition is playing semantics. I would have thought that if the Leader of the Opposition had a question about that statement, he would have chosen to ask Mr Caporn himself when he had the briefing. The second point I make is that following the counter-terrorism legislation that will be debated in the house this week will be the package that was agreed to by the Premiers and the Prime Minister of Australia at the recent Council of Australian Governments meeting. For example, under that proposed legislation there is the capacity to detain people for up to 14 days. Powers of detention do not exist in the bill that is before this house. That is pretty obvious. I would have thought that anyone who looked at that bill, looked at what the Prime Minister has been calling for in the current debate and looked at what is in place in the United Kingdom would have come to that conclusion himself. I stress that the package before us in the Assembly is a very sensible package. In fact, when I asked the Commissioner of Police much earlier this year what powers we could possibly give WA police to assist them in the fight against terrorism, the commissioner said that he would get WA police to do a review. I understand that Assistant Commissioner Caporn had a special role in that review. What is before the Parliament is what came from the Police Service regarding the powers it is asking for at this stage. Australia-wide, a further decision has now been made by the Premiers and the Prime Minister about detention powers and some other powers, and that legislation will come before this Parliament in due course.
Mrs M.H. ROBERTS replied: (1)-(2) The advice that I received on the terrorism bill came directly from the Commissioner of Police himself. The Commissioner of Police in this state signs off on what the WA Police is recommending to government. The legislation before the Assembly is as recommended by the WA Police and supported by the commissioner and, to the best of my knowledge, supported by Assistant Commissioner Caporn. Maybe the Leader of the Opposition is playing semantics. I would have thought that if the Leader of the Opposition had a question about that statement, he would have chosen to ask Mr Caporn himself when he had the briefing. The second point I make is that following the counter-terrorism legislation that will be debated in the house this week will be the package that was agreed to by the Premiers and the Prime Minister of Australia at the recent Council of Australian Governments meeting. For example, under that proposed legislation there is the capacity to detain people for up to 14 days. Powers of detention do not exist in the bill that is before this house. That is pretty obvious. I would have thought that anyone who looked at that bill, looked at what the Prime Minister has been calling for in the current debate and looked at what is in place in the United Kingdom would have come to that conclusion himself. I stress that the package before us in the Assembly is a very sensible package. In fact, when I asked the Commissioner of Police much earlier this year what powers we could possibly give WA police to assist them in the fight against terrorism, the commissioner said that he would get WA police to do a review. I understand that Assistant Commissioner Caporn had a special role in that review. What is before the Parliament is what came from the Police Service regarding the powers it is asking for at this stage. Australia-wide, a further decision has now been made by the Premiers and the Prime Minister about detention powers and some other powers, and that legislation will come before this Parliament in due course.
(1)-(2) The advice that I received on the terrorism bill came directly from the Commissioner of Police himself. The Commissioner of Police in this state signs off on what the WA Police is recommending to government. The legislation before the Assembly is as recommended by the WA Police and supported by the commissioner and, to the best of my knowledge, supported by Assistant Commissioner Caporn. Maybe the Leader of the Opposition is playing semantics. I would have thought that if the Leader of the Opposition had a question about that statement, he would have chosen to ask Mr Caporn himself when he had the briefing. The second point I make is that following the counter-terrorism legislation that will be debated in the house this week will be the package that was agreed to by the Premiers and the Prime Minister of Australia at the recent Council of Australian Governments meeting. For example, under that proposed legislation there is the capacity to detain people for up to 14 days. Powers of detention do not exist in the bill that is before this house. That is pretty obvious. I would have thought that anyone who looked at that bill, looked at what the Prime Minister has been calling for in the current debate and looked at what is in place in the United Kingdom would have come to that conclusion himself. I stress that the package before us in the Assembly is a very sensible package. In fact, when I asked the Commissioner of Police much earlier this year what powers we could possibly give WA police to assist them in the fight against terrorism, the commissioner said that he would get WA police to do a review. I understand that Assistant Commissioner Caporn had a special role in that review. What is before the Parliament is what came from the Police Service regarding the powers it is asking for at this stage. Australia-wide, a further decision has now been made by the Premiers and the Prime Minister about detention powers and some other powers, and that legislation will come before this Parliament in due course.
The second point I make is that following the counter-terrorism legislation that will be debated in the house this week will be the package that was agreed to by the Premiers and the Prime Minister of Australia at the recent Council of Australian Governments meeting. For example, under that proposed legislation there is the capacity to detain people for up to 14 days. Powers of detention do not exist in the bill that is before this house. That is pretty obvious. I would have thought that anyone who looked at that bill, looked at what the Prime Minister has been calling for in the current debate and looked at what is in place in the United Kingdom would have come to that conclusion himself. I stress that the package before us in the Assembly is a very sensible package. In fact, when I asked the Commissioner of Police much earlier this year what powers we could possibly give WA police to assist them in the fight against terrorism, the commissioner said that he would get WA police to do a review. I understand that Assistant Commissioner Caporn had a special role in that review. What is before the Parliament is what came from the Police Service regarding the powers it is asking for at this stage. Australia-wide, a further decision has now been made by the Premiers and the Prime Minister about detention powers and some other powers, and that legislation will come before this Parliament in due course.
(1) Given that the state’s top anti-terrorism police officer has indicated that the government’s legislation does not adequately address the issue of terrorism in Western Australia, will the minister advise the house which gaps in the fight against terrorism Assistant Commissioner Caporn was referring to? (2) If the minister is unaware of the gaps that Assistant Commissioner Caporn was referring to, will she undertake to seek his advice on this issue and to make a statement regarding his concerns to this house before the end of this day’s sitting? Mrs M.H. ROBERTS replied: (1)-(2) The advice that I received on the terrorism bill came directly from the Commissioner of Police himself. The Commissioner of Police in this state signs off on what the WA Police is recommending to government. The legislation before the Assembly is as recommended by the WA Police and supported by the commissioner and, to the best of my knowledge, supported by Assistant Commissioner Caporn. Maybe the Leader of the Opposition is playing semantics. I would have thought that if the Leader of the Opposition had a question about that statement, he would have chosen to ask Mr Caporn himself when he had the briefing. The second point I make is that following the counter-terrorism legislation that will be debated in the house this week will be the package that was agreed to by the Premiers and the Prime Minister of Australia at the recent Council of Australian Governments meeting. For example, under that proposed legislation there is the capacity to detain people for up to 14 days. Powers of detention do not exist in the bill that is before this house. That is pretty obvious. I would have thought that anyone who looked at that bill, looked at what the Prime Minister has been calling for in the current debate and looked at what is in place in the United Kingdom would have come to that conclusion himself. I stress that the package before us in the Assembly is a very sensible package. In fact, when I asked the Commissioner of Police much earlier this year what powers we could possibly give WA police to assist them in the fight against terrorism, the commissioner said that he would get WA police to do a review. I understand that Assistant Commissioner Caporn had a special role in that review. What is before the Parliament is what came from the Police Service regarding the powers it is asking for at this stage. Australia-wide, a further decision has now been made by the Premiers and the Prime Minister about detention powers and some other powers, and that legislation will come before this Parliament in due course.
(2) If the minister is unaware of the gaps that Assistant Commissioner Caporn was referring to, will she undertake to seek his advice on this issue and to make a statement regarding his concerns to this house before the end of this day’s sitting? Mrs M.H. ROBERTS replied: (1)-(2) The advice that I received on the terrorism bill came directly from the Commissioner of Police himself. The Commissioner of Police in this state signs off on what the WA Police is recommending to government. The legislation before the Assembly is as recommended by the WA Police and supported by the commissioner and, to the best of my knowledge, supported by Assistant Commissioner Caporn. Maybe the Leader of the Opposition is playing semantics. I would have thought that if the Leader of the Opposition had a question about that statement, he would have chosen to ask Mr Caporn himself when he had the briefing. The second point I make is that following the counter-terrorism legislation that will be debated in the house this week will be the package that was agreed to by the Premiers and the Prime Minister of Australia at the recent Council of Australian Governments meeting. For example, under that proposed legislation there is the capacity to detain people for up to 14 days. Powers of detention do not exist in the bill that is before this house. That is pretty obvious. I would have thought that anyone who looked at that bill, looked at what the Prime Minister has been calling for in the current debate and looked at what is in place in the United Kingdom would have come to that conclusion himself. I stress that the package before us in the Assembly is a very sensible package. In fact, when I asked the Commissioner of Police much earlier this year what powers we could possibly give WA police to assist them in the fight against terrorism, the commissioner said that he would get WA police to do a review. I understand that Assistant Commissioner Caporn had a special role in that review. What is before the Parliament is what came from the Police Service regarding the powers it is asking for at this stage. Australia-wide, a further decision has now been made by the Premiers and the Prime Minister about detention powers and some other powers, and that legislation will come before this Parliament in due course.
Mrs M.H. ROBERTS replied: (1)-(2) The advice that I received on the terrorism bill came directly from the Commissioner of Police himself. The Commissioner of Police in this state signs off on what the WA Police is recommending to government. The legislation before the Assembly is as recommended by the WA Police and supported by the commissioner and, to the best of my knowledge, supported by Assistant Commissioner Caporn. Maybe the Leader of the Opposition is playing semantics. I would have thought that if the Leader of the Opposition had a question about that statement, he would have chosen to ask Mr Caporn himself when he had the briefing. The second point I make is that following the counter-terrorism legislation that will be debated in the house this week will be the package that was agreed to by the Premiers and the Prime Minister of Australia at the recent Council of Australian Governments meeting. For example, under that proposed legislation there is the capacity to detain people for up to 14 days. Powers of detention do not exist in the bill that is before this house. That is pretty obvious. I would have thought that anyone who looked at that bill, looked at what the Prime Minister has been calling for in the current debate and looked at what is in place in the United Kingdom would have come to that conclusion himself. I stress that the package before us in the Assembly is a very sensible package. In fact, when I asked the Commissioner of Police much earlier this year what powers we could possibly give WA police to assist them in the fight against terrorism, the commissioner said that he would get WA police to do a review. I understand that Assistant Commissioner Caporn had a special role in that review. What is before the Parliament is what came from the Police Service regarding the powers it is asking for at this stage. Australia-wide, a further decision has now been made by the Premiers and the Prime Minister about detention powers and some other powers, and that legislation will come before this Parliament in due course.
(1)-(2) The advice that I received on the terrorism bill came directly from the Commissioner of Police himself. The Commissioner of Police in this state signs off on what the WA Police is recommending to government. The legislation before the Assembly is as recommended by the WA Police and supported by the commissioner and, to the best of my knowledge, supported by Assistant Commissioner Caporn. Maybe the Leader of the Opposition is playing semantics. I would have thought that if the Leader of the Opposition had a question about that statement, he would have chosen to ask Mr Caporn himself when he had the briefing. The second point I make is that following the counter-terrorism legislation that will be debated in the house this week will be the package that was agreed to by the Premiers and the Prime Minister of Australia at the recent Council of Australian Governments meeting. For example, under that proposed legislation there is the capacity to detain people for up to 14 days. Powers of detention do not exist in the bill that is before this house. That is pretty obvious. I would have thought that anyone who looked at that bill, looked at what the Prime Minister has been calling for in the current debate and looked at what is in place in the United Kingdom would have come to that conclusion himself. I stress that the package before us in the Assembly is a very sensible package. In fact, when I asked the Commissioner of Police much earlier this year what powers we could possibly give WA police to assist them in the fight against terrorism, the commissioner said that he would get WA police to do a review. I understand that Assistant Commissioner Caporn had a special role in that review. What is before the Parliament is what came from the Police Service regarding the powers it is asking for at this stage. Australia-wide, a further decision has now been made by the Premiers and the Prime Minister about detention powers and some other powers, and that legislation will come before this Parliament in due course.
The second point I make is that following the counter-terrorism legislation that will be debated in the house this week will be the package that was agreed to by the Premiers and the Prime Minister of Australia at the recent Council of Australian Governments meeting. For example, under that proposed legislation there is the capacity to detain people for up to 14 days. Powers of detention do not exist in the bill that is before this house. That is pretty obvious. I would have thought that anyone who looked at that bill, looked at what the Prime Minister has been calling for in the current debate and looked at what is in place in the United Kingdom would have come to that conclusion himself. I stress that the package before us in the Assembly is a very sensible package. In fact, when I asked the Commissioner of Police much earlier this year what powers we could possibly give WA police to assist them in the fight against terrorism, the commissioner said that he would get WA police to do a review. I understand that Assistant Commissioner Caporn had a special role in that review. What is before the Parliament is what came from the Police Service regarding the powers it is asking for at this stage. Australia-wide, a further decision has now been made by the Premiers and the Prime Minister about detention powers and some other powers, and that legislation will come before this Parliament in due course.
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