Criminal Law Consolidation (False or Misleading Information) Amendment Bill

Second Reading

Adjourned debate on second reading.

(Continued from 17 October 2019.)

The Hon. A. PICCOLO: Deputy Speaker, I draw your attention to the state of the house.

A quorum having been formed:

Mr PICTON (Kaurna) (16:06): It is my pleasure to speak to the Criminal Law Consolidation (False or Misleading Information) Amendment Bill. I indicate, particularly to the Clerk, who is always interested, that I will be the lead speaker for the opposition on this significant piece of legislation.

The Hon. J.A.W. Gardner: Will you be using those entire entitlements?

Mr PICTON: That's right, unlimited time. This is another part of the real agenda for action and change that we have become accustomed to—of minor, tiny amendments seeking to use the parliament's time.

The Hon. V.A. Chapman: The Chief Justice asked us to do this.

Mr PICTON: You are listening to the Chief Justice now, are you? I thought in this parliament we have heard quite a lot about times when you have been disagreeing with the Chief Justice and the entirety of the Supreme Court of South Australia, who are against your earlier propositions that we have debated. Despite the fact that the Attorney is at war with the Supreme Court on other matters, on this we will be supporting the bill.

The bill creates two new offences: an offence for a person to enter false or misleading prescribed information into an electronic court management system and an offence for a person to provide false or misleading prescribed information to another person, knowing that the information will be or is likely to be provided to a court. Both offences attract a maximum penalty of $10,000. Prescribed information will be defined by regulation; however, we are advised that the regulations will be developed in consultation with the court and the Chief Justice. I hope that consultation goes better than we have seen in relation to the Court of Appeal.

The modernisation brought through this legislation is required as a result of the introduction of the electronic court management system (ECMS), which allows users to lodge court documents and interact with the court electronically. I am advised that in November 2018 the ECMS for probate matters became fully operational, and the government expects the implementation of ECMS for civil matters across all courts to occur in early 2020 and for criminal matters in 2021. Probate matters will be the first jurisdiction to be covered under this legislation. We understand that civil and criminal matters will be included at a later date. Alas, with those short words, I conclude my speech on this important measure and indicate that we will be supporting the legislation.

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN (Bragg—Deputy Premier, Attorney-General) (17:08): I thank the member for Kaurna for his indication of support from the opposition and commend the bill to the house.

Bill read a second time.

Third Reading

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN (Bragg—Deputy Premier, Attorney-General) (17:09): I

move:

That the bill be now read a third time.

Bill read a third time and passed.