❓ WA National's Dr. Brian Walker questions the McGowan government's stance on drug decriminalisation following federal Labor MP Alicia Payne's comments, contrasting it with the Morrison government's position. The McGowan government states it does not support decriminalisation.
AnsweredQoN 121Legislative Council
Asked
24 February 2022
Member
Portfolio
Leader of the House representing the Premier
QuestionView source ↗
DRUGS — DECRIMINALISATION
121. Hon
Dr BRIAN WALKER to the Leader of the House representing the Premier:
I
refer the Premier to Jess Malcolm's article in yesterday's The Australian , discussing federal Labor MP Alicia Payne's calls to decriminalise hard drugs in the ACT.
(1) Does the
McGowan government support, in principle, the softening of drug-based laws to,
as Ms Payne suggests, implement a ''health based, harm minimisation
approach''?
(2) If no to (1),
does the McGowan government instead support the Morrison government's
position, as summarised by Minister for Home Affairs Karen Andrews, who said
that Labor was not to ''be trusted'' when it came to drug reform,
and that decriminalisation would only benefit ''violent criminal
offenders''?
(3) Regardless of
which position it takes, is the McGowan government at all concerned that, while
other parts of Australia engage in a healthy debate on hard drug reform, even a
conversation around recreational cannabis reform is currently being denied to
the people of Western Australia?
121. Hon
Dr BRIAN WALKER to the Leader of the House representing the Premier:
I
refer the Premier to Jess Malcolm's article in yesterday's The Australian , discussing federal Labor MP Alicia Payne's calls to decriminalise hard drugs in the ACT.
(1) Does the
McGowan government support, in principle, the softening of drug-based laws to,
as Ms Payne suggests, implement a ''health based, harm minimisation
approach''?
(2) If no to (1),
does the McGowan government instead support the Morrison government's
position, as summarised by Minister for Home Affairs Karen Andrews, who said
that Labor was not to ''be trusted'' when it came to drug reform,
and that decriminalisation would only benefit ''violent criminal
offenders''?
(3) Regardless of
which position it takes, is the McGowan government at all concerned that, while
other parts of Australia engage in a healthy debate on hard drug reform, even a
conversation around recreational cannabis reform is currently being denied to
the people of Western Australia?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question.
(1)–(3) The McGowan
government does not support the decriminalisation of drugs.
some notice of the question.
(1)–(3) The McGowan
government does not support the decriminalisation of drugs.
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