Senator: We need to stem the tide of criminal cases

INDEPENDENT Senator Hugh Ian Roach has urged the Parliament to focus on crime prevention which would reduce the number of cases coming into the courts.

He was contributing to debate on The Criminal Division Bill in the Senate on Thursday. Roach said the bill seemed more an administrative type of bill rather than significantly addressing offences.

“What is behind this is an attempt by the Government to have greater efficiency in the judiciary in this runaway, galloping, out of control crime situation. It is quite obvious to me that, notwithstanding whatever legislation we pass with good intentions, it will not necessarily address the situation we are facing today in society.”

Roach said he was looking at a more comprehensive approach that would bring about change and slow down the rapid decay in society.

“We are dealing with the problem at the end rather than the beginning.

“I am more an advocate of prevention.”

Roach said he supported the bill and would support anything that could make the judicial system more efficient. He added, however, there was a need to look at prevention.

“We need to stem the tide.”

He said reducing the incidence of criminal cases would require paying attention to social interventions, family life and rethinking the education system so no one is left out.

“It would also assist by stemming the volume of cases that go into the system to begin with.”

At the start of his contribution Roach told Senate President Christine Kangaloo that while he was filling gas recently two people asked him to express their gratitude to Kangaloo over the way she conducted proceedings in the parliamentary chambers.

Opposition Senator Wade Mark interjected “I wanted to tell the President I have received the opposite.”

Kangaloo responded: “I must tell everyone the presiding officer is not the subject of the debate.”