POLICE POWERS AND RESPONSIBILITIES (COMMONWEALTH GAMES) AMENDMENT BILL

May 25, 2017

I start by thanking the Education, Tourism, Innovation and Small Business Committee for its detailed examination of the Police Powers and Responsibilities (Commonwealth Games) Amendment Bill 2017. On 27 April this year the committee tabled its report which included three recommendations. The government has considered these recommendations and I have prepared a response. I table the government’s response to the committee’s report.

Tabled paper: Education, Tourism, Innovation and Small Business Committee: Report No. 31, 55th Parliament—Police Powers and Responsibilities (Commonwealth Games) Amendment Bill 2017, government response [802].

I note that this proposed piece of legislation—this bill—has received bipartisan support during the committee stage and, as the committee would know, the Queensland Police Service is conscious that the passing of this bill allows for the timely preparation of the regulations required to support police operations during the Commonwealth Games. The government supports recommendations 1 and 3 of the committee report and supports recommendation 2 in principle. I will now address each of the recommendations.

Firstly, the committee recommended that the bill be passed, and I thank the committee for its support of the bill. Secondly, the committee recommended that an integrated website be used for games information, that the website provide information in the main languages used in Commonwealth countries and that the commissioner nominate the integrated website as the designated website for protective security zones. I have consulted with the Minister for the Commonwealth Games in relation to this recommendation and our departments have been liaising closely. The intent of recommendation 2 will be achieved by linked websites that create an online platform rather than a single integrated website. A range of information about the games will be available on the integrated online platform which will include the official Gold Coast Commonwealth Games 2018 website and the state’s Embracing 2018 website. This information will include information to be provided to games visitors, athletes, residents and the public about all aspects of the games including events, transport and security arrangements. Information about protective security zones and major event areas will also be integrated into this online platform.

In relation to the designated website referred to in sections 619G and 619H of the bill, it is important that the Commissioner of Police be able to nominate the Queensland Police Service website rather than an integrated website as the designated website. This is particularly important for protective security zones declared by the commissioner under section 619H. Such a declaration may be required in urgent circumstances at any time and any delay in the process of uploading information to the website controlled by another agency could compromise the safety and security of the games.

In relation to information being provided in different languages, I am advised that the official Gold Coast Commonwealth Games 2018 website will only be made available in English. The official language of the Commonwealth Games is English as prescribed by the Commonwealth Games Federation in its constitution and English is spoken as a first or second language in most Commonwealth countries. However, in addition to English, the state’s Embracing 2018 website will be made available in other languages including Arabic, Chinese and Japanese which are the main languages spoken by residents on the Gold Coast.

The third and final recommendation was that the bill be amended to provide that the Police Commissioner must ensure the operation and effectiveness of the additional police powers in protective security zones are reviewed. To give effect to this recommendation, I am happy to inform the House that I intend to propose an amendment to the bill to insert a review clause. This amendment has been circulated in my name. The clause will require a review to be conducted by the commissioner after the conclusion of the games. The commissioner must give a report of the outcome of the review to the minister by 22 March 2019. The report is required to be tabled by the minister as soon as reasonably practicable after it is received by the minister.

I again thank the committee for its careful consideration of the bill. I also thank those organisations that made submissions to the committee and participated in the public hearing. I also thank Commissioner Ian Stewart, Assistant Commissioner Peter Crawford and other members of the Queensland Police Service who participated in the public briefing to the committee.

The objective of this bill is to promote the safety and security of persons attending events or activities associated with the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games. This will be achieved by providing police officers with additional powers in protective security zones. Protective security zones will be prescribed by regulation but may also be prescribed urgently by the Commissioner of Police. It is intended that protective security zones will protect areas associated with the games where mass gatherings of people are expected to form. Many protective security zones will adjoin major events areas at competition and non-competition venues whilst others may include transport hubs, transport networks and designated pedestrian routes to and from a venue.

As we all know, the games is a mega 11-day sporting event and cultural event and will be one of the premier events in Australia this decade. It will generate a huge influx of visitors to the Gold Coast and to other areas of Queensland that will be hosting games events. There is no better way to showcase the Gold Coast and Queensland to the world than for the city to host the most spectacular games ever staged, and everything is on target for that to occur. A successful Commonwealth Games requires careful planning, organisation and cooperation at all levels of government and within the private sector.

One of the key priorities for the Commonwealth Games organisers is security planning to ensure the safety and security of all persons during the games. This includes over 6,500 athletes and officials and over 3,000 media personnel, 15,000 volunteers and 1.5 million potential spectators and other members of the public. Security planning is an important and onerous task for the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Corporation, the Queensland Police Service and other games partners. The Queensland Police Service also has the additional task of maintaining core policing services throughout the state during the duration of the games and whilst the games security operations are underway.

Games security planning is complicated by a number of factors, including the extended duration of the games, the number of competitions and other venues involved and, of course, the current security environment, with the ever-increasing threat of terrorism. The current general national terrorism threat level remains at probable, which indicates that individuals or groups have developed both the intent and capability to conduct a terrorist attack in Australia. 

At the public hearing of the committee on 11 April 2017, Assistant Commissioner Crawford, who is the head of the Police Service Commonwealth Games Group, provided a detailed overview of the current security environment and security considerations for the games. I invite members of this House and the public to read the transcript of the hearing to fully understand the games security issues. I draw attention to that not to deter anyone from participating or attending the games, but to reinforce the fact that the Queensland Police Service is well aware of the games security risk and is doing everything it can, along with the games partners, to mitigate those risks. 

This week’s terrible events have demonstrated that this risk is real. The bombing at Manchester Arena is a stark reminder of that. The bombing in Manchester on Tuesday demonstrates clearly that the threat of terrorism is real, the risk to life is significant, and that the nature of the threat continues to evolve. I am sure that I speak for all members of this House as I express my condolences for those injured and to the family and friends of those who have died as a result of this cowardly and despicable attack in Manchester. 

This bill is an important aspect of the security response, as it will give our police officers the extra powers they need to enhance the security and safety of all persons attending the games. The police powers in the bill are a proportionate response to the current security environment and will allow police officers to proactively manage and respond quickly to any threat to the games. 

The powers include the power for a police officer to frisk search a person entering or in a protective security zone and inspect any article in the person’s possession. Police officers will also have the power to stop, detain and search vehicles in or entering a protective security zone. Police officers will also be able to enter and search premises in a protective security zone without a warrant. However, a police officer can enter a residence only with an occupier’s consent, or if the police officer reasonably suspects that an offence that would likely endanger the safety of a person may be committed in or from that residence. These powers work in conjunction with the power of a police officer to use a firearms and explosives detection dog to conduct security sweeps of a protective security zone. The bill also authorises a police officer to give a direction to a person entering or in a public place in a protective security zone if the officer is reasonably satisfied that the direction is necessary for the safety of persons entering or in that zone. 

Along with those powers, the bill provides an exemption for police from completing enforcement register entries for searches conducted by police officers in a protective security zone, or under the provisions of the Major Events Act 2014. The powers in this bill are designed to provide police with the tools they need to quickly resolve and prevent security threats, with minimal inconvenience to members of the public. The powers apply only within protective security zones and are in place only for the limited duration of the games. However, the exemption from completing enforcement register entries for searches conducted under the Major Events Act 2014 will continue to apply, as it is required for future prescribed major events under that act. 

It is important to note that the bill is only one aspect of the policing and security response to the games. Goldoc has engaged a consortium of security companies to deploy approximately 4,500 security officers for the games. Largely, these security officers will be deployed in major events areas and will be authorised to use powers under the Major Events Act 2014. These security officers will complement a large contingent of Queensland police officers and specialists from other law enforcement agencies and the Australian Defence Force. 

A comprehensive community engagement and communication strategy will be implemented for the games. Goldoc, the City of Gold Coast and the Office of the Commonwealth Games will be undertaking coordinated public messaging and advertising. Public awareness campaigns, particularly in relation to transport and security requirements, will significantly increase in the lead-up to the games as well. The Queensland Police Service will manage its own public information campaign, which will focus on security information for people attending the games. That will include providing relevant security information on the Queensland Police Service website and other public messaging tools. That will assist people to understand what security will look like at the games, why it is necessary and what people can do to make their journey through the games security easier. 

The Queensland Police Service is undertaking an extensive community engagement program in relation to protective security zones. The aim of the program is to develop and maintain good working relationships with all relevant internal and external stakeholders. As part of the program, the Queensland Police Service will engage with each business owner and resident within a protective security zone so that impacted persons have information about the zones, how they will work and what the additional police powers will be. That will reduce the impacts on businesses and residents and allay any community concern. 

The Queensland Police Service will continue to work with games organisers and games partners to ensure that the games are as safe as possible. In policing the games, the Queensland Police Service is committed to preserving the spirit of the friendly games. That will be reflected in all aspects of police training and response to the games. In this state, we are fortunate to have a professional Police Service that has proven time and time again that it can be trusted with additional police powers when given to them by this parliament. We only need to look back to the 2014 G20 meetings held in Brisbane and Cairns to see how well the Queensland Police Service conducted itself on the international stage. I have every confidence that our Police Service will again deliver a safe and secure international event. The additional police powers in this bill are a crucial element to making that happen. I encourage all members to support the bill. I commend the bill to the House.