XN000022-1986-07-02 — Page 6

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 2, 1986

+THE ROAD COMPANY WILL HAVE A CAPITAL OF $750 MILLION. THERE WILL BE A SEPARATE RAIL FRANCHISE FOR 18-1/2 YEARS FROM THE OPENING OF THE RAIL TUNNEL, TO BE HELD BY THE RAIL COMPANY WITH A CAPITAL OF $350 MILLION.

+ IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE CONSORTIUM MET THE TARGET FOR THE MTRC'S LEASE PAYMENTS AND THESE WILL BE LESS THAN THE PROJECTED NET INCREMENTAL REVENUE. THE CONSORTIUM IS CONTRACTUALLY OBLIGATED TO COMPLETE CONSTRUCTION WITHIN 3-1/2 YEARS,+ MR GREWAL SAID.

DEBATE ON THE BILL WAS ADJOURNED.

SPENT CONVICTION SCHEME A MODEST' BEGINNING

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THE SCHEME PROPOSED BY THE REHABILITATION OF OFFENDERS BILL 1986 IS A MODEST ONE, AND IT WILL ALWAYS BE POSSIBLE TO EXTEND ITS PROVISIONS AT A LATER DATE IF THE MEASURE IS FOUND TO WORK SATISFACTORILY, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, THE HON MICHAEL THOMAS, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

MOVING THE SECOND READING OF THE BILL, HE SAID ANOTHER FACTOR TO BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT IN CONSIDERING AN EXTENSION WOULD BE IF THE PUBLIC SHOWED BY THEIR SUPPORT THAT THEY ACCEPTED THAT THE MEASURE WAS DESIGNED TO BENEFIT BOTH THE INDIVIDUAL AND SOCIETY AT LARGE.

MR THOMAS SAID THE BILL SOUGHT TO ASSIST IN THE REHABILITATION OF THOSE WHO, YEARS BEFORE, HAD COMMITTED A SINGLE MINOR OFFENCE. AT PRESENT, ANY RECORDED CONVICTION, HOWEVER MINOR, REMAINED PERMANENTLY ON RECORD.

+ALTHOUGH AN OFFENDER MAY HAVE SPENT MANY YEARS ENDEAVOURING TO LIVE DOWN HIS PAST, HE WILL ALWAYS RUN THE RISK THAT HE MAY BE ASKED TO DISCLOSE HIS CONVICTION OR THAT IT MAY BE UNNECESSARILY, EVEN MISCHIEVOUSLY, REVEALED IN LATER YEARS, THUS DESTROYING HIS EFFORTS AT REHABILITATION, + HE SAID.

THE BILL ALLOWED A MINOR CONVICTION TO BE REGARDED AS SPENT AFTER A PRESCRIBED PERIOD AND PREVENTED REFERENCE TO THAT SPENT CONVICTION UNLESS THERE WAS SOME SPECIFIC NEED FOR DISCLOSURE.

/LetisLATION