SPENT CONVICTIONS LEGISLATION

The Hon. R.B. SUCH (Fisher) (15:15): My question is to the Attorney-General. What progress has been made in drawing up the regulations under the Spent Convictions Act?

The Hon. J.R. RAU (Enfield—Attorney-General, Minister for Justice, Minister for Tourism) (15:15): As all members here would know, the honourable member for Fisher has long been an advocate for spent convictions legislation. He has championed this cause, and I think all members in the chamber would be aware, from correspondence and phone calls that we have received, that there are many people out there in the community who share the concerns of the honourable member. It is an important change that is going through.

I am advised that the position in relation to the legislation that is in presently is that we want to make sure that the police are in a position to actually do what they have to do in terms of their IT equipment and so forth. I believe that will probably be ready to go by about February 2011—that is my understanding. I expect the regulations to be in place as soon as the equipment and the capability within the police is available to deliver the outcome. It is not much good promising people a spent convictions regime if there is no opportunity or capacity in the system to deliver it.

The other matter that might be of interest to the honourable member is that we are considering whether there is some opportunity for further refinement of the arrangements to deal with some convictions which presently are not able to be dealt with under those arrangements but arguably should be. There will be more about that perhaps earlier in the new year. The honourable member can rest assured that the regulations are not far away, and all of those people in the community who have been looking forward to this will be able to take advantage of it.