Page 499 - Week 02 - Wednesday, 20 February 2019
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Health, Ageing and Community Services—Standing Committee
Reference
MR HANSON (Murrumbidgee) (3.44): Pursuant to standing order 174, I move:
That the Drugs of Dependence (Personal Cannabis Use) Amendment Bill 2018 be referred to the Standing Committee on Health, Ageing and Community Services for inquiry and report by 6 June 2019.
I moved for this bill to be referred to a committee for inquiry when it was tabled last year because I feared that this was not good legislation and that there were a whole raft of issues that needed to be addressed. At that stage the Labor Party and the Greens did not support the referral. I have just been advised that the Greens will now support such a referral, which is a good thing. I am not sure why they have had a change of heart. Perhaps it is because they have now had a closer look at this legislation and they might have seen what a dog’s breakfast it is. In particular, in light of the fact that we have now been told that the government will be bringing forward amendments but that they are still drafting them, they are probably trying to work out this whole mess and unpick it all.
Perhaps it is because Mr Pettersson is refusing to release the submissions that he received on his bill, which I think would have helped to inform the debate. Perhaps it is because Mr Rattenbury got caught out advertising on his Facebook page that this was all about joining the party. We hear from Ms Cheyne that it is not about encouraging cannabis use, but we then have what I think are these totally inappropriate campaigns on Facebook pages saying, “Let’s join the party.”
Regardless of the reason, without repeating too much of what I said in the in-principle debate, there are real problems with this bill, in its form and in the way it has been drafted. Even if you support it, it is a mess. There is a raft of amendments that need to be looked at in detail and that are still in the process of being drafted. There are legal complexities. More importantly, there are genuine health issues that this Assembly must be across before it makes a decision about something that could potentially be so damaging to young people’s lives.
I am glad that this will now have the support of the majority of the Assembly, and I commend this motion to the Assembly.
MR PETTERSSON (Yerrabi) (3.47): I was hoping I would not have to rise today but unfortunately I do. The reason that I am so upset by this is that everyone who is watching this debate knows that this is a stalling tactic from the conservative Canberra Liberals. They know that they are beaten in this chamber. They know that they do not have the numbers in this place.
Members interjecting—
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