RECREATION GROUNDS (REGULATIONS) (PENALTIES) AMENDMENT BILL

Introduction and First Reading

The Hon. M.J. WRIGHT (Lee—Minister for Police, Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing) (12:03): Obtained leave and introduced a bill for an act to amend the Recreation Grounds (Regulations) Act 1931. Read a first time.

Second Reading

The Hon. M.J. WRIGHT (Lee—Minister for Police, Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing) (12:03): I move:

That this bill be now read a second time.

I seek leave to have the second reading explanation inserted in Hansard without my reading it.

Leave granted.

The purpose of the Recreation Grounds (Regulations) (Penalties) Amendment Bill 2010 is to amend the Recreation Grounds (Regulations) Act 1931 to incorporate increased penalties for crowd behaviour that is anti-social or has the potential to impact on public and participant safety.

South Australia has a strong reputation as an Event City. Whilst our reputation in part relates to event management it is also built on creating public environments that are safe and family friendly.

The government is committed to protecting South Australians from the actions of those who seek to gain notoriety or who by their actions, put the safety of others at risk.

This summer South Australia will host, amongst other events, the Second Ashes Test, the state’s first International Twenty20 and based on Adelaide United’s continued good form, A-League finals matches.

Whilst this is a fantastic summer of sport for South Australians it has the potential to be accompanied by a higher risk of ground invasion and the use of flares.

Recent experiences interstate have heightened concerns from international and national sporting bodies and venue managers about the possibility of such anti-social behaviour occurring and the need to increase the current statutory penalties that apply.

The Bill amends section 3 of the Recreation Grounds (Regulations) Act 1931 to:

(a) Widen the regulation-making power of the Act, with respect to securing orderly behaviour, to include persons in the vicinity of the ground; and

(b) Increase the maximum penalty, that may be imposed by regulation, from $200 to $5,000 (to address serious behaviours such as pitch invasion); and

(c) Allow for expiation fees in the regulations (not exceeding $315) for minor alleged offences against the regulations.

This Bill is one part of the approach to managing poor crowd behaviour and it should be noted that major venues are and will continue to review their security procedures and conditions of entry to manage crowd behaviour generally.

The amendments contained in this Bill are consistent with other States and will enable effective and consistent deterrents to be in place.

This Bill will only impact on those whose behaviour is unacceptable. By introducing harsher penalties for those who seek to interrupt major sporting and entertainment events in this State or put the public at risk by their actions, the Government will meet its commitment to protecting the safety of participants and the public.

I commend the Bill to Members.

Explanation of Clauses

Part 1—Preliminary

1—Short title

2—Amendment provisions

These clauses are formal.

Part 2—Amendment of Recreation Grounds (Regulations) Act 1931

3—Amendment of section 3—General regulations relating to recreation grounds

This clause amends the regulation-making power of the Governor in the following ways:

(a) to widen the scope for regulations to be made to secure orderly and decent behaviour by persons in the vicinity of a recreation ground;

(b) to increase the maximum penalties that may be imposed for offences against the regulations to $5,000;

(c) to allow for expiation fees (not exceeding $315) to be prescribed for alleged offences against the regulations.

Debate adjourned on motion of Mr Pederick.

[Sitting extended beyond 13:00 on motion of Hon. M.J. Wright]