Legislation Committee

The proposed legislation is currently under review in a Legislation Committee.  This committee welcome submissions from all members of the public.  Though submissions are now closed, we encourage you to continue to write to your local member to express your views.

Twenty-one submissions were received and have now been made public. They can be viewed here. Twenty of these submissions are opposed to the proposed legislation, and only one is in favour.

Our Submission

Our submission to the Legislation Committee has been completed and submitted. This is an extremely thorough detailing of all of our objections to the legislation. The submission can be downloaded here. The other submissions can be viewed here.

If you have queries about this, please contact our submission co-ordinator Yannis Vrodos; email him at yannisv@bigpond.net.au.

Details

From the Legislative Council Committees Current Inquiries Page
Inquiry Name: Criminal Investigation Amendment Bill 2009
Date Commenced: 26/11/2009
Inquiry Status: Current
Committee Name: Legislation Committee
House: Legislative Council

Members Conducting Inquiry

Members

Hon. Michael Mischin MLC
Hon. Dr Sally Elizabeth Talbot MLC
Hon. Mia Jane Davies MLC
Hon. Helen Margaret Morton MLC
Hon. Alison Marie Xamon MLC

Staff Members

Ms Denise Wong, LLB, BSc (Env Sc) (Advisory Officer (Legal))
Mr Mark Warner (Committee Clerk)

Contact Details

Phone No: 08 9222 7410
Fax No: 08 9222 7805
Email: mwarner@parliament.wa.gov.au

Terms of Reference

On 26 November 2009 the Legislative Council referred the Criminal Investigation Amendment Bill 2009 to the Legislation Committee for consideration and report by 25 March 2010.

  • We want your help to stop the Criminal Investigation Amendment Bill 2009. This Bill is currently under review in the Legislation Committee, and will be brought before parliament in early 2010.

    If passed, these “stop and search” laws will remove one of your basic civil rights.  Currently if a cop wants to search you, the police officer must be able to show they had ‘reasonable suspicion’ that you may be concealing objects pertaining to a crime.

    This legislation proposes to remove the requirement of reasonable suspicion.

    Removing the need for reasonable suspicion opens the door for unreasonable searches.

    If this law passes, you can be searched in whatever area the police commissioner decides needs to be targeted.

    There will be no parliamentary overview - and no legal defence for victims.  Perth, Northbridge, Fremantle and wherever else the Commissioner decides will turn into police-run zones where you can be stopped, searched, stripped and scrutinised at the whim of whoever is on patrol.

    We respect police, and we understand that they have a difficult job.  However, these laws will not increase safety.

    Instead they will push the problem into different areas, decrease respect for police, and find nothing that the police do not already have the powers to find.

    Are you ready to have your rights sacrificed for nothing?

    You can help to stop this legislation!

    • Write letters and emails to the Premier Colin Barnett, the Police Minister Rob Johnson or to your local MP. Click on the VOICE YOUR VIEWS link to see the addresses you can send your email to, or if you’re in a hurry send our form letter.
    • Draft a submission to the Legislation Committee.  Click LEGISLATION COMMITTEE to see how you can do this, and a draft of the submission on behalf of Search For Your Rights.
    • Be informed about your legal rights and opposition to the bill. Click YOUR RIGHTS in the menu for links to Legal Services Australia, and WORK TOGETHER for other groups who oppose this legislation.
    • STAY POSTED for future actions, protests and movements.

    Search for your rights!