Page 4252 - Week 12 - Wednesday, 23 October 2019
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Then they say:
That all turns to custard on 31 January 2020.
You have the local Attorney-General, Mr Ramsay, saying that he hopes the police will not prosecute; you have the federal Attorney-General saying that he expects police to prosecute; and you have the Australian Federal Police Association, who represent police officers locally, saying that this whole situation, the legislation that we have that has been working effectively, “all turns to custard”. What do our police do? What are they expected to do?
You have the local Attorney-General saying, “I hope they do not prosecute the law. I hope they walk past crimes being committed.” And you have the federal Attorney-General saying, “I expect them to prosecute federal law.” What are they expected to do? How is it possible that the government has enacted laws and is going to commence laws that create that impossible situation for our police and that impossible situation for our citizens?
We are fortunate that there is a chance to stop this problem. These laws have not commenced. The amendment moved by the Greens to the bill means that it has got to be commenced by an act of the minister. What my motion today says is: do not commence this legislation; there is too great a risk to citizens; there is too great a risk to our police. As legislators, whether we agree with the underlying principle of legalising cannabis or not is irrelevant. It is reckless, it is irresponsible and it is wrong for us as legislators to be commencing a law in this town that tells citizens that something is legal when in every likelihood they will be charged, prosecuted and found guilty of a criminal offence. I call on members to do the responsible thing and tell the government and the minister not to commence this irresponsible legislation.
MS CODY (Murrumbidgee) (4.31): I thank Mr Hanson for the opportunity to have a bit of a say about his motion. Before I go that, I would also like to thank Breanna, who has been taking part in the girls takeover parliament program this week and has helped me research and write this speech. I would like to thank her, as a young person who lives in this city, for her input on this. What I am about to speak about today is a lot of what she has researched and what she has to say, and I think that is key to this debate.
The Drugs of Dependence (Personal Cannabis Use) Amendment Bill 2018 is vastly supported in the community that we here are elected to represent. Are you suggesting that we render the community’s wishes inadequate? The personal bias Mr Hanson has demonstrated against this bill is alarmingly apparent. I am not sure he even cares about the community’s wishes. It seems he is treating them as irrelevant.
Legislation that is passed but is sought to be overturned and rendered ineffective only confuses our wonderful police officers, whose job it is to enforce the law. If Mr Hanson cares as much as he says he does, he should be aware of the latest Roy Morgan poll that clearly states that 62 per cent of Australians disagree with the decision to overturn the ACT cannabis laws.
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