Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2013-02-05 Daily Xml

Contents

SERIOUS CRIME EVIDENCE

The Hon. A. BRESSINGTON (15:29): My questions to the minister representing the Minister for Police are:

1. What powers, if any, do the police have in relation to compelling a witness of an offence of a serious criminal nature to produce any evidence they have of the commission of that offence when it is not clear whether the witness was indeed party to the crime?

2. Under the new Serious and Organised Crime Act, does SAPOL have the ability to search and seize evidence of the commission of an offence when there is some question as to whether the witness is associated with a serious and organised crime group?

3. Why would SAPOL refuse to act and indeed categorically state that they are unable to compel a witness to supply them with video-recorded evidence of the commission of a serious crime?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, Minister for Forests, Minister for Regional Development, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for State/Local Government Relations) (15:30): I thank the honourable member for her important question. I will refer it to the Minister for Police in another place and bring back a response.