Mr MELHAM(11.19 a.m.) —The opposition supports this bill. It is fair to say, I think, that the poor old government does not have much on its plate in the way of legislation so it has been picking up, in the main, the legislation of the previous government, and that is what this bill basically is. Apart from some minor procedural amendments that were made to the 1995 bill, this bill is substantially the bill that the Labor party introduced before the election, and the party supports wholeheartedly an expedited passage of the bill.

There has been the New South Wales royal commission, which not only disclosed that there has been widespread corruption within the New South Wales police force but also adversely referred to a number of officers of the Australian Federal Police; there has been a parliamentary committee in Western Australia that has recently reported to the Western Australian parliament; and, of course, there was the celebrated Fitzgerald inquiry in Queensland. In the light of all those inquiries, we can no longer say that either the state or the federal police forces are lilywhite. I think it is on that basis that this bill comes before the parliament. It makes it easier for a member or a staff member to be dismissed by reason of serious misconduct, regardless of whether that conduct may amount to a breach of the Australian Federal Police (Discipline) Regulations, either directly or as a result of a criminal conviction.

I know that there has been concern expressed by members of the Australian Federal Police that they could be unduly or hastily dealt with under this legislation, but the opposition has looked at those concerns and believes that there are balances in the bill and remedies that officers can take if they believe they have been wrongly dismissed.

I think the bill is fair in the current climate, and the second reading speech of the Minister for Administrative Services (Mr Jull), who is at the table, highlights it. The intention is to give the commissioner a broader and more effective power to end an appointment where the commissioner has lost confidence in a person's suitability for continued employment in the Australian Federal Police. The amendment will, in particular, permit the commissioner to act quickly and decisively to end the appointment of a person where the commissioner believes, on reasonable grounds, that there has been corruption, serious abuse of power or serious dereliction of duty.

The minister went on to say that, as the bill will widen the scope of the commissioner's powers to end appointments, the government believes it is also reasonable to extend to members and staff members additional remedies against the possibility that the commissioner's power might be exercised unfairly or unreasonably. Then it goes on to detail what those additional remedies are. The opposition's view is that there is some balance in this bill, and it is appropriate that the commissioner have these powers.

Mr Deputy Speaker, there is no need for me to take up my allotted time. Our view, as an opposition, is that we welcome the bill that is before the Committee. I think it is fair to say that the former Minister for Justice, Mr Duncan Kerr, can rightly take credit for a lot of the initiatives in this bill. I think he should be afforded due recognition. I know that he does welcome this bill before the Committee.