Northern Territory Second Reading Speeches
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BAIL AMENDMENT BILL 1999
(This an uncorrected proof of the daily report. It is made available under the condition that it is recognised as such.)
Bill presented and read a first time.
Mr BURKE (Attorney-General): Mr Speaker, I move that the bill be now read a second time.
The purpose of this bill is to give magistrates the power to grant bail by telephone to a person apprehended by the police on a warrant. The Bail Act currently provides that a magistrate or justice may grant bail to a person brought or appearing before him or, when a person is not brought or appearing before him, if the person has lodged an appeal with the Supreme Court.
A magistrate or justice has the power to grant bail by telephone but only in circumstances where a member of the police force is first considered an application and decided to refuse bail.
Under the present legislation if an offender is arrested by the police on a warrant the magistrate does not have the power to grant bail over the telephone yet there are many situations in which a magistrate may wish to grant bail to a person arrested on a warrant. For example in a remote location an offender may be arrested under a warrant by the police in relation to a relatively minor offence but it may be weeks before the court is next sitting in that location thus able to hear the matter. This bill will enable the offender to have immediate access to bail and may eliminate the need to transport him possibly long distances to appear before a magistrate.
This bill demonstrates a commonsense approach to the efficient administration of justice in a jurisdiction with the unique geography of the Territory.
I commend the bill to honourable members.
Debate adjourned.
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