By Kerri-Anne Mesner
BRIMBANK residents could be subjected to local laws giving police the power to move on groups of youth loitering in public places, people drinking in public places and people being disruptive.
Sunshine Police Detective Inspector Scott Mahoney has submitted a request to Brimbank City Council, which is reviewing its local laws, to develop a law giving police the power.
Mayor Margaret Giudice said she would support the request, and urged her fellow councillors to do the same.
“Council is always thinking of the safety of its residents,” Cr Giudice said.
Det Insp Mahoney said the law would be used in relation to a person or people causing disruption of business during the day, and in public areas where youth congregate, such as skate parks, when police felt there was a risk of a fight breaking out or anti-social behaviour.
“The power would only be used by police when negotiations fail,” he said.
Det Insp Mahoney said such a law would go hand in hand with other local laws such as the prohibition of drinking alcohol in public places.
According to the Australian Institute of Criminology website, in 1997 the Children (Protection and Parental Responsibility) Act was proclaimed in New South Wales.
The Act allowed the police to remove anyone under the age of 16 from public places without charge if they believed the young people were ‘at risk’ of committing an offence or being affected by a crime, were not under the supervision or control of a responsible adult, or if they were in danger of being physically harmed, injured or abused.
The Act does not specify the sort of offences that might be committed, but if an offence was actually committed, the police would not be detaining the young person under this Act.
In the first six months of 1999, 145 young people were removed from public places in the four local government areas where the legislation was operational in NSW.
Of these, 90 per cent were Aboriginal children.
Queensland, South Australia, the Australian Capital Territory, Tasmania and Western Australia all have legislation giving police similar powers.
