Gary Humphries (ACT, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Materiel) Share this | Hansard source

The opposition did not oppose that motion, but wishes to indicate to the chamber that it has serious misgivings about the extent to which this matter might be effectively prosecuted by the Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee. The question of justice reinvestment is a worthwhile concept, but the idea of diverting spending from prisons into measures to prevent and reduce the rate of incarceration is an issue which touches particularly on the operation of state institutions, state prisons, and the coalition is concerned that an inquiry, effectively, by a federal committee into the operation of a state prison system is not the most effective use of the committee's time. The opposition wishes to put those reservations on notice before this matter is dealt with.