XN000022-1992-06-06 — Page 3

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SATURDAY, JUNE 6, 1992

"POLICE OFTEN FACE A WALL OF SILENCE BECAUSE WITNESSES FEAR REPRISAL OR ARE WILLINGLY INVOLVED IN OFFENCES SUCH AS ILLEGAL GAMBLING," HE SAID.

"PRESENT INVESTIGATIVE POWERS ARE INADEQUATE TO IDENTIFY THE ORGANISERS WHO OFTEN DO NOT PARTICIPATE DIRECTLY IN THE COMMISSION OF CRIMES. HE ADDED.

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IN AN EFFORT TO OVERCOME THESE PROBLEMS, THE REVISED BILL A PROPOSES TO GIVE THE POLICE SPECIAL INVESTIGATIVE POWERS TO REQUIRE PERSON TO ANSWER QUESTIONS AND OTHERWISE FURNISH INFORMATION" RELEVANT TO THE INVESTIGATION.

ADDITIONALLY, A PERSON HAVING POSSESSION OR MATERIALS RELEVANT TO THE INVESTIGATION WILL BE REQUIRED THESE MATERIALS OR TO GIVE THE POLICE ACCESS TO THEM.

CONTROL OF TO PRODUCE

"THESE POWERS WILL BE SUBJECT TO MANY SAFEGUARDS, SAID THE

SPOKESMAN.

"FIRST, WE PROPOSE THAT THE POWERS SHOULD ONLY BE AVAILABLE IF AUTHORISED BY THE HIGH COURT, AND ALL APPLICATIONS WILL BE MADE BY THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OR THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC PROSECUTIONS.

"SECOND, WE PROPOSE THAT THE HIGH COURT SHOULD ONLY GRANT FOR THE USE OF SUCH POWERS IF IT IS SATISFIED THAT IT APPLICATION IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST, HE ADDED.

AN

IS

A PERSON NOTIFIED TO ATTEND AN INTERVIEW TO ANSWER QUESTIONS OR ΤΟ TO PRODUCE MATERIAL WOULD COMMIT AN OFFENCE IF HE REFUSES OR FAIL ATTEND, REFUSES TO PROVIDE INFORMATION OR PRODUCE MATERIAL, OR PRODUCES FALSE OR MISLEADING INFORMATION OR MATERIAL, OR FALSIFIES, CONCEALS OR DISPOSES OF MATERIALS.

PROVIDES DESTROYS,

NOT BE OR

THE SPOKESMAN STRESSED THAT A PERSON'S ANSWERS WOULD ADMISSABLE AGAINST HIM EXCEPT IN PROCEEDINGS FOR GIVING FALSE MISLEADING INFORMATION.

UNDER THE POWERS,

THE HIGH COURT COULD ORDER BANK AND THE INLAND REVENUE DEPARTMENT TO PRODUCE RELEVANT INFORMATION.

"WE

BELIEVE THESE SPECIAL INVESTIGATIVE POWERS, WHICH ALREADY IN A NUMBER OF JURISDICTIONS, ADDRESS THE PUBLIC CONCERN THAT THE POLICE SHOULD BE GIVEN ADEQUATE TOOLS TO COMBAT CRIME,' HE SAID.

EXIST

ΓΕ

"THE POWER TO COMPEL DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION WILL. BE OF SIGNIFICANT BENEFIT TO THE POLICE IDENTIFYING PEOPLE INVOLVED IN ORGANISED CRIMES AND TO DEVELOP A PROSECUTABLE CASE AGAINST THEM.

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HE SAID THE GOVERNMENT WAS MINDFUL OF HUMAN RIGHTS THAT AND WAS PREPARING THE PROPOSED MEASURES IN ORDER CONSIDERATIONS THEY WERE CONSISTENT WITH THE BILL OF RIGHTS.

ANOTHER PROPOSED NFW PROVISION IS TO ABOLISH THE NEED FOR JUDGE TO WARN THE JURY ABOUT EVIDENCE GIVEN BY ACCOMPLICES.

THE

/"THE NATURE