Page 1971 - Week 06 - Thursday, 9 June 2022
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I want to touch on some issues in my own portfolios, where I will be seeking to work with a far greater degree of cooperation than we have seen previously with the federal government. Firstly, I turn to my portfolio as Attorney-General. We have an ongoing issue around the matter of voluntary assisted dying. The territories are the subject of continued discrimination and are prevented from making their own laws on this issue. I have previously raised this with my Attorney-General colleagues from around the nation and will continue to do so—I expect more successfully under this new government. I note that the Chief Minister is already commissioning draft legislation to assist the federal government in this space.
Here in the ACT we also have a commitment to justice reinvestment and to reducing the over-representation of First Nations men and women in the justice system. I am optimistic about opportunities to work with our new federal government in this space. On a related issue, I note that our community legal centres have suffered a variety of funding cuts at the hands of the coalition government over many years, and I am looking forward to speaking to my federal counterparts about restoring funding to these essential legal services.
We also need to raise the minimum age of criminal responsibility. The evidence is clear that it should be raised to at least 14. The evidence is also clear that young people committing crimes need help rather than a criminal response. We are leading this reform in the ACT because there has been insufficient national action, and I would be delighted if the new federal government could help achieve a consistent, evidence-based national approach to raising the age.
I am encouraged to see that the new Attorney-General has previously raised public concerns regarding the prosecution of Bernard Collaery, citing issues with the secrecy in particular. I agree with the new Attorney-General when he says that the manner in which the government has sought to conduct the prosecution appears to be an affront to the rule of law. I, too, am concerned about this matter and will seek further discussions with the new attorney about the approach he intends to take. It is time that this clearly politically motivated prosecution was brought to an end.
I will be looking for an early opportunity to raise the issue of gaming advertising and online gaming with my federal counterparts, noting that these are areas where the key policy levers predominantly lie with the federal government. Not only are people sick of persistent and intrusive betting advertising—and I hear this regularly from constituents—but this insidious practice amplifies the harm that results from gaming. It needs further regulation.
Eviction of the recalcitrant and climate-sceptic coalition government gives me great hope that I can now work closely with the federal government on key environmental issues through my emissions reduction, water and energy portfolios. Gone is the government that claimed electric vehicles would ruin your weekend. Now we have a chance to implement broad-ranging and influential federal policies like vehicle emissions standards that can kick-start the zero-emission vehicle revolution. As I have always said, I am sure that we can lead that revolution from here within the territory, allowing ACT citizens to reap all the benefits that come with that.
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