The Canberra Liberals unveiled their vision for a reformed justice system yesterday and Labor launched its multicultural and indigenous polices as the row over election costings continued.
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If elected on October 20, the Liberals say they will order a full review of the justice system, including an assessment of evidence and bail laws, sentencing and parole.
Labor says it would spend nearly $4 million over four years upgrading language services for migrants and their children and continuing to support the city's popular National Multicultural Festival.
Opposition justice spokeswoman Vicki Dunne says a Liberal government would review the territory's courts structure, including ACAT, to try to find ways to ''reduce delays and improve efficiency''.
Mrs Dunne said coroners would be empowered to compel witnesses to give evidence in coronial inquiries and that the Liberals would follow Labor in introducing ''unexplained wealth'' legislation and change the proof-of-age card scheme to make it more convenient.
''The Canberra Liberals' approach to justice is founded on broad consultation across the legal profession and the community services sector and engagement with people in our community affected by a legal system that does not meet their needs and expectations,'' Mrs Dunne said.
The centrepiece of Labor's four-year multicultural policy is a $3 million promise to build a modern home for the Tuggeranong Primary Introductory English Centre at the upgraded Wanniassa Hills school for about 36 children of new migrants.
Multicultural Affairs Minister Joy Burch said the package would include $270,000 over four years for a ''micro credit'' program to help migrants into business ownership, $104,000 for multicultural sport, $104,000 for community language schools and $420,000 for the festival.
''We have proud record of supporting vulnerable migrants including refugees and asylum seekers, because they have a lot to offer our community,'' Ms Burch said.
Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Andrew Barr kept up the pressure on the Canberra Liberals as the opposition's policy costings failed to materialise on the Treasury Department's website.
Mr Barr said it was almost too late. Treasury estimates the costings process takes about five days.
''The Labor Party and the Greens between us have had nearly 200 policies in for costing for a period of time now,'' Mr Barr said. ''The Liberals, having participated in the process in establishing a costings framework, really have been recalcitrant in not submitting, but we'll have a look.
''We'll know in a few days exactly what the independent umpire is saying … Everyone's noticed they've been making announcements but not giving any detail at all on how much money they'll spend on particular projects.''