Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to support the words of the shadow minister, most importantly, as he stated, that the existing framework for court security does not meet the needs of the modern court environment. That was a concern raised by the heads of jurisdiction of the Commonwealth courts, following consultation with the government in relation to this bill and in relation to the provisions of current court security arrangements.

Certainly, our courts are the hallmark of our democracy—as is the parliament—and the people working in those courts, whether they be officers of the Crown, police officers, or whether they be defendants or people involved in cases, need to have proper security and adequate security measures. They need to know that when they attend court they can do so in a safe environment. This bill goes part of the way, or all of the way, towards helping to improve these arrangements so that people can have that safety and security in the knowledge that they can attend court in a safe environment. The consequences of a breach of security in these circumstances are a serious issue, and the measures proposed in this bill seem adequate and proportionate. It is important that cases are heard, as the shadow minister just related, without fear, violence or intimidation. The powers that appointed security officers and authorised court officers may exercise in respect of screening, giving directions or removing a person from court premises appear, according to this bill, reasonable and necessary to enhance the security of the federal courts.

Furthermore, the measures proposed in the bill may go part of the way to providing court users—particularly those who reasonably fear attending court proceedings and unfortunately that is a great number of people—with improved certainty that their case will be heard in a safe and secure environment. The Court Security Bill 2013 and the associated consequential amendments bill make substantive alterations to security provisions by the Commonwealth courts and the tribunals.

Unfortunately, it is a necessary bill that we need to implement. It seeks to implement the current legislative framework for Commonwealth court and tribunal security arrangements, and would expand the range of powers available to security officers and authorised court officers, who need to know that their work is important and that the important work they do can be conducted in a safe environment. The new security arrangements will be uniform across all Commonwealth courts, including the Family Court of Western Australia and the Administrative Appeals Tribunal. Family courts, as we all know, are places where tempers can rise. They are places where there is a lot of emotion and sometimes emotion boils over into fear, intimidation and violence.

Hopefully, this bill will make it a far more secure and safe environment for all those people attending the court whatever the necessity. Presently the legislative framework for security at Commonwealth courts and tribunals is contained in part IIA of the Public Order (Provision of Persons and Property) Act 1971. This legislation is outdated. It needs to be improved upon. It needs to be regulated such that it brings it up to speed with 2013 expectations. This bill and amendment do just that and the coalition therefore supports it.

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