Criminal Cases Review Commission Bill

Members, when we were last debating this bill, Kunwaljit Singh Bakshi had six minutes and 45 seconds remaining to speak should he so wish to do so. I understand this is a five minute call, I call Raymond Huo.

Thank you, Madam Assistant Speaker. I do want to acknowledge Mr Bakshi—thanks for his contributions—and I also want to acknowledge the contributions by the Hon Mark Mitchell, who also asked some questions last night. It’s rather easy to answer his questions, because the role for the independent Criminal Cases Review Commission is to review convictions and sentences and determine whether they should refer the cases back to the appeal courts. It’s not the role of the commission to determine whether it is guilt or innocence. For the rest of the questions he asked, I think they can be easily dealt with at the select committee level.

Having said that, I really want to put the bill into the real context to appreciate the principles and rationale behind the bill. We are all aware of the Teina Pora case, where he spent 20 years in jail before his convictions for rape and murder were quashed. I can quote from the media such names as David Bain, Arthur Allan Thomas, etc. They all had spent years in prison fighting convictions that were eventually quashed. There are others who are currently in jail and should not be there.

The bill establishes the independent Criminal Cases Review Commission—

I apologise to the member. The debate is interrupted and is set down for resumption next sitting day.

Debate interrupted.

The House adjourned at 6 p.m.