Andrew Braddock to bring spit hood ban debate to ACT Legislative Assembly

Greens MLA Andrew Braddock will bring the debate to ban spit hoods - used to stop people in custody from spitting on or biting officers - to the ACT Legislative Assembly. Find out why

A push to ban spit hoods being used in the ACT will be led by Greens MLA Andrew Braddock who said he would raise the issue for debate in the Legislative Assembly.

Mr Braddock said he will speak to “key stakeholders and advocates” before bringing forward either a motion or private member’s bill to Assembly to debate banning the practice.

“Spit hoods are traumatic and potentially lethal devices that have no place in the ACT as a Human Rights jurisdiction,” Mr Braddock said.

While he did not give an exact timeline, Mr Braddock told The Canberra Star he hoped to bring the debate to the ACT Legislative Assembly “before the end of the year”.

Greens MLA Andrew Braddock has vowed to bring the spit hood ban debate to the ACT Legislative Assembly.

On Monday ACT Chief Police Officer Neil Gaughan told the ACT Legislative Assembly during Budget Estimates that a spit hood had recently been used on a teenage girl in police custody.

The top cop said the girl refused to give up her alcohol and “spat and kicked at police” before the spit hood was used.

Mr Gaughan told the Assembly it was not possible to determine how many times spit hoods had been used in the territory because their use was counted alongside the use of handcuffs and capsicum spray.

However Mr Gaughan told the Assembly he had “no recollection or no memory – no record,” of spit hoods being used on children under the age of 16.

A statement from an ACT Policing spokesman said the devices prevent a person in custody from spitting at or biting officers.

“(This) protects officers from the transmission of communicable diseases and sustaining other serious injuries,” the spokesman said.

ACT Policing Chief Police Officer Neil Gaughan confirmed a spit hood was recently used on a 16 year old girl in police custody. Picture Kym Smith

“Spit hoods used by ACT Policing are considered safe when used in accordance with the instructions.

“Any person in custody who is subject to the wearing of a spit hood is personally accompanied by an AFP officer and monitored.

“Once they are placed in a holding cell the spit hood is removed.”

The ACT, NT, and Queensland are the only three jurisdictions in Australia where it is legal to use spit hoods on minors.

Spit hoods have never been legal in NSW or Tasmania, while SA, WA and Victoria have banned the practice.