[Greens-Media] Coalition and Labor target the disadvantaged

[David Shoebridge]

Coalition and Labor target the disadvantaged
Media Release - 25 May 2011
 
Legislation passed today by the NSW Legislative Council by Labor and
the Coalition gives police extensive powers to move on people they
believe to be intoxicated will unfairly target disadvantaged members of
the community, according to NSW Greens MP and Police spokesperson David
Shoebridge.
 
“Past experience shows that these kind of police powers tend to be used
against society's most vulnerable, including the young, people with
mental health issues, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders," Mr
Shoebridge said.
 
"This regressive law was passed today with the combined votes of the
Coalition government and the Labor opposition. Only the Greens opposed
it.
 
"The government gave no rational justification for increasing these
police powers. The Police Minister instead used out of date BOSCAR
statistics to mislead the public into believing that incidents of
glassings were increasing, when in fact the reverse is true.
 
“Current move on powers are designed to disperse groups of intoxicated
people, not target individuals. These new powers will allow police to
target individuals and force them from a public place.
 
“These powers are unnecessary. Police already have the power to deal
with people who are harassing or obstructing other people. Police have
now been given a wide discretion to declare marginal citizens
'trouble-making drunks' and force them from public places.
 
"This legislation will likely result in more arrests, more gaoling and
greater  cost to the taxpayer. These laws won't be used outside trendy
Friday night venues frequented by bankers, politicians and lawyers.
Instead they will be used to criminalise the marginal.
 
"By creating more, not less, conflict on the streets, it will sadly
produce yet more complaints against police and a further erosion of the
public's faith in the role of police in our society," Mr Shoebridge
said.
 
More information: 9230 3030 | 0433 753 376
 
 
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David Shoebridge
Greens MLC
NSW Parliament
PH: (02) 9230 3030
FX: (02) 9230 2159
www.davidshoebridge.org.au