Page 4110 - Week 12 - Tuesday, 22 October 2019

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Clause 22 agreed to.

Remainder of bill, by leave, taken as a whole and agreed to.

Bill agreed to.

Sitting suspended from 11.52 am to 2.00 pm.

Ministerial arrangements

MS BERRY: Madam Speaker, the Chief Minister Andrew Barr is unwell today, so I will be taking questions on his behalf.

Questions without notice

ACT Policing—cannabis

MR COE: My question is to the minister for police. In regard to how the personal cannabis bill will be policed, legal commentators have indicated that a formal agreement would resolve the problem, to the effect that the ACT government would come to an agreement with ACT Policing not to enforce the commonwealth law. Minister, have you had any discussions with ACT police about a formal agreement not to enforce commonwealth law?

MR GENTLEMAN: I thank Mr Coe for the question. I have not had a discussion with ACT Policing not to enforce commonwealth law. We have, of course, been working over the past 20 years with ACT legislation and commonwealth legislation. I can say that over that period of time I am not aware of ACT Policing using commonwealth law in regard to personal cannabis use.

MR COE: Minister, have you had any discussions with federal departments or federal ministers about a formal agreement not to enforce commonwealth laws in the territory?

MR GENTLEMAN: No.

MR HANSON: Minister, will you rule out a formal, informal or documented agreement—any agreement of any sort essentially—not to enforce commonwealth laws?

MR GENTLEMAN: I do not think that there would be a position for the ACT not to allow the AFP to enforce, and in fact work under, commonwealth law. In fact, the AFP work under a number of commonwealth laws, including their own AFP Act, the Crimes Act and a number of other acts. I cannot see a position where we would ask our policing taskforce not to work under commonwealth law.

Legal services—tenants

MS LE COUTEUR: My question is to the Attorney-General. Attorney, is the funding that is currently allocated for the Tenants Union to provide tenancy advice


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