Hansard | NSW Legislative Council | 24 May 2011
The Hon. AMANDA FAZIO [3.15 p.m.]: In my view the Law Enforcement (Powers and Responsibilities) Amendment (Move On Directions) Bill 2011 is unnecessary because the powers it seeks to introduce by this legislation already exist in other legislation. I take this opportunity to express my concern about the potential for abuse of this legislation. People should be aware that the changes proposed by the legislation will impact disproportionately upon homeless people, young people and Indigenous people. In the longer term, as with similar provisions of the past, the bill will serve no common good while in the meantime causing unnecessary suffering.
The Hon. Marie Ficarra noted disparagingly that Labor dismantled the Summary Offences Act. I personally believe that that was one of the best things done by Neville Wran when he was the Premier of New South Wales, because the Summary Offences Act was used by the police to discriminate against people in the lower echelons of society, people who had problems with alcohol consumption but who were not necessarily causing any difficulties, people who did not have a lot of cash on them, people who for one reason or another were deemed to be unsuitable, and people who were at the bottom of the pecking order in society. Labor members should be proud that Neville Wran dismantled the Summary Offences Act.
