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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, Second Session (54-2)
2020-03-03 Daily Xml
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Coronavirus

Mr ODENWALDER (Elizabeth) (15:21): Why hasn't the minister briefed the Police Association, given the importance of this legislation to the—

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN (Bragg—Deputy Premier, Attorney-General) (15:22): The member inquires as to the consultation in relation to foreshadowed legislation—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: No, I am ready to answer the question. I'm sorry, do you have some more?

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Deputy Premier, did you want the question repeated, did you say?

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: If the member has some further aspect to that question I am happy to hear it.

The SPEAKER: Member for Elizabeth, you have the call, if you would like to ask a question.

Mr ODENWALDER: Point of clarification, sir: the Deputy Premier was answering the supplementary question; is that right?

The SPEAKER: Member for Elizabeth, just for simplicity, can we have the question again.

Mr ODENWALDER: Why hasn't the minister briefed the Police Association, given the importance of this legislation to the role of the police?

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: I am more than happy to answer the question because the member is raising an important aspect of the consultation in relation to foreshadowed legislation that has been announced by the Minister for Health. As the member would appreciate, there are a number of aspects in relation to emergency management, particularly of a health incident: police, obviously; health officials; and transport. There are a number of aspects of government enterprise that need to be considered. Perhaps the most significant initially has been the consultation with officers of my department and the Crown Solicitor's Office—

Mr Malinauskas interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The Leader of the Opposition interjects and he is warned.

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: —and the first and foremost immediate response to the inquiry as to how that could be legislatively attended to as a result of the requests of the leaders in health for advice on this matter. The Premier has outlined significantly his indication of the need for that to be progressed expeditiously. In fact, I think he has acknowledged the support, in a positive way, of the opposition indicating their preparedness to expedite that, and we appreciate it. But the—

Mr Malinauskas interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The Leader of the Opposition is still interjecting, and he is warned for a second and final time.

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: At this stage, all of the stakeholders, including police and including the Law Society—my understanding is that the final draft of that bill, which had been discussed with the opposition and crossbenchers yesterday, is being distributed today to various stakeholders so that we might have their immediate advice as to any other aspects we need to consider.

But I want to assure the member that certainly officers in my department were very busy over the weekend with officials in the health department to try to bring together as immediately as possible aspects of the new powers required, which are going to be presented to the parliament for consideration, their implementation and who is to operate that. Indeed, questions such as should persons other than the Chief Public Health Officer have powers in relation to detention, what review powers should be involved with the issue of warrants, and—

Mr Odenwalder: But I am talking about the people who are doing the actual work.

The SPEAKER: The member for Elizabeth is warned for a second and final time.

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: I am getting to that, and that is, once the warrant is issued and/or the order has been made, what public health officials may be required and indeed what support officers of the South Australian police would give. They are matters which are all under consideration. They are matters of practical implication if and when the parliament does agree to progress the legislation which has been foreshadowed.

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