Save Search

Note: Where available, the PDF/Word icon below is provided to view the complete and fully formatted document
 Download Current HansardDownload Current Hansard    View Or Save XMLView/Save XML

Previous Fragment    Next Fragment
Thursday, 31 August 2000
Page: 17056


Senator COONEY (11:18 AM) —The point I want to make—and I think the minister will understand this—is that a lot of these problems that have been raised give rise to the question of what sort of people are going to be used. We have all had the experience of young, immature policemen, as distinct from the mature and the wise, who can cause all sorts of problems in the street by approaching a group in the wrong way. I was wondering whether the Army or the government have in mind the sorts of people they are going to use to carry out any activity that needs to be carried out in Sydney or elsewhere. In other words, are there any regulations or guidelines as to the maturity of the troops? If you have a young fellow who is going to shoot because he is frightened, then that is understandable. The way to prevent that is to have people of the proper disposition and proper character—not in terms of moral character, but proper fibre—and people who are not going to panic in dangerous situations.