❓ Ms. Mettam questions the Premier about the implementation of coercive control measures, likening it to a delayed GPS monitoring trial. The Premier defends the government's record on family and domestic violence prevention, highlighting investments and initiatives, and criticizes the opposition's past actions and views.
AnsweredQoN 606Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
FAMILY AND DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE — COERCIVE CONTROL
606. Ms L. METTAM to the Premier:
I
have a supplementary question. Given that the government's discussion
paper on coercive control closed in July 2022 —
The SPEAKER : Sorry, member.
There is no introduction to a supplementary question; you just ask the
question.
Ms L. METTAM : Is this just
another issue like the government's GPS monitoring trial that will
never see the light of day or be implemented?
VIOLENCE — COERCIVE CONTROL
606. Ms L. METTAM to the Premier:
I
have a supplementary question. Given that the government's discussion
paper on coercive control closed in July 2022 —
The SPEAKER : Sorry, member.
There is no introduction to a supplementary question; you just ask the
question.
Ms L. METTAM : Is this just
another issue like the government's GPS monitoring trial that will
never see the light of day or be implemented?
AnswerView source ↗
I reject the premise. Our GPS
tracking system—ankle bracelets, as they are commonly referred to—was
an election commitment that we made in 2017. The opportunity, member, was for
the previous Liberal–National government to put that trial in place. We
did it. The Attorney General will receive a report shortly about the success of
that trial and what else we need to put in place to learn from that trial and
move forward. We have a government that has ambitions, aspirations and
determination when it comes to the prevention of family and domestic violence.
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please,
member!
Mr R.H. COOK : That stands in
direct —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Minister for Training, member for Burns Beach and Leader of the Liberal Party,
that is the end of interjections. I would like the remainder of the Premier's
answer to be heard in silence.
Mr R.H. COOK : As usual,
members opposite come in with these falsehoods and misrepresentations of fact
and basically run them out like fake news. If they say it often enough, maybe
it will be true. It will never be true. Our record stands —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Treasurer!
Order, please!
Mr R.H. COOK : We are proud of
our record in the prevention of family and domestic violence. It stands in
sharp contrast to the Liberal Party's
disinterest when it was in government. Labor is always the party of government
that will stand up for the victims of family and domestic violence. That
is the reason we have invested more than $200 million, which stands in sharp
contrast to the former government's paltry efforts. That is the reason
we are the first government in history to have a Minister for Prevention of
Family and Domestic Violence. That stands in sharp contrast to the opposition's
inaction. We are the first government to bring a raft of proposals and
legislation into this place to support the victims of family and domestic
violence.
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please.
Mr R.H. COOK : We are the
first government to implement prevention and awareness programs, such as 16
Days in WA, which is about elevating this
conversation and making sure we raise awareness. We were the first government to put in place the respectful relationships program. While we are on the
subject of the respectful relationships program, I want to bring to the
attention of the house the attitude of those opposite. Once again, the dark
hand of ''The Clan'' reaches over, which speaks volumes, does it
not? I have been gentle on the Leader of the Liberal Party today, but let us look at what the Liberal Party
thought of respectful relationships when the program was brought i n. In The
West Australian of 17 May, when the Western Australian government announced
its intention to fund this program, Hon Nick Goiran said —
We
will not, however, support taxpayers' money being spent on brainwashing
kids with political correctness.
That goes to the heart of what
members of the Liberal Party believe.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please!
Mr R.H. COOK : Madam Speaker —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please.
We are talking about respectful relationships. I ask the Premier to continue,
please.
Mr R.H. COOK : Hon Nick Goiran
did not stop there. On 22 June in the Legislative Council, he said —
Another program, which is intended
for years 8, 9 and 10, is called Building Respectful Relationships. I had a look
at the Building Respectful Relationships program because it is an example of
something that I would not want our new government to spend one cent on.
We know who really runs the Liberal
Party; it is Hon Nick Goiran and his bunch of hoodlums in ''The Clan''.
They are the ones who are calling the shots opposite. That is really what would
happen if that lot ever got back into government. They see these programs
around respectful relationships as brainwashing.
Ms L. Mettam : You just talk
about them.
Mr R.H. COOK : No, member, we
are implementing it. That was the problem the Liberal Party had; we are
implementing these programs to continue to educate kids about respectful relationships,
and making kids in high school understand the importance of respectful
relationships and conducting themselves in an appropriate manner. Those are the
things that are opposed by members on the Liberal Party's side of the
political fence. They oppose them. Hon Nick Goiran, who we know runs the
Liberal Party, has put that in bright lights under a full banner of attention
to say that if the Liberal Party ever got a chance to get back into government,
it would dismantle these important programs.
The SPEAKER : Before I give
the call to the member for Bateman, just as I require short, sharp questions
for supplementaries, I also require shorter
answers to supplementaries. The Premier, in this circumstance, was interjected on so many times and provoked in so many ways that I allowed the answer to
continue, but this is a reminder on supplementaries that questions need to be
short and sharp, and answers need to be briefer than the answer to the first
question.
tracking system—ankle bracelets, as they are commonly referred to—was
an election commitment that we made in 2017. The opportunity, member, was for
the previous Liberal–National government to put that trial in place. We
did it. The Attorney General will receive a report shortly about the success of
that trial and what else we need to put in place to learn from that trial and
move forward. We have a government that has ambitions, aspirations and
determination when it comes to the prevention of family and domestic violence.
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please,
member!
Mr R.H. COOK : That stands in
direct —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Minister for Training, member for Burns Beach and Leader of the Liberal Party,
that is the end of interjections. I would like the remainder of the Premier's
answer to be heard in silence.
Mr R.H. COOK : As usual,
members opposite come in with these falsehoods and misrepresentations of fact
and basically run them out like fake news. If they say it often enough, maybe
it will be true. It will never be true. Our record stands —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Treasurer!
Order, please!
Mr R.H. COOK : We are proud of
our record in the prevention of family and domestic violence. It stands in
sharp contrast to the Liberal Party's
disinterest when it was in government. Labor is always the party of government
that will stand up for the victims of family and domestic violence. That
is the reason we have invested more than $200 million, which stands in sharp
contrast to the former government's paltry efforts. That is the reason
we are the first government in history to have a Minister for Prevention of
Family and Domestic Violence. That stands in sharp contrast to the opposition's
inaction. We are the first government to bring a raft of proposals and
legislation into this place to support the victims of family and domestic
violence.
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please.
Mr R.H. COOK : We are the
first government to implement prevention and awareness programs, such as 16
Days in WA, which is about elevating this
conversation and making sure we raise awareness. We were the first government to put in place the respectful relationships program. While we are on the
subject of the respectful relationships program, I want to bring to the
attention of the house the attitude of those opposite. Once again, the dark
hand of ''The Clan'' reaches over, which speaks volumes, does it
not? I have been gentle on the Leader of the Liberal Party today, but let us look at what the Liberal Party
thought of respectful relationships when the program was brought i n. In The
West Australian of 17 May, when the Western Australian government announced
its intention to fund this program, Hon Nick Goiran said —
We
will not, however, support taxpayers' money being spent on brainwashing
kids with political correctness.
That goes to the heart of what
members of the Liberal Party believe.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please!
Mr R.H. COOK : Madam Speaker —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please.
We are talking about respectful relationships. I ask the Premier to continue,
please.
Mr R.H. COOK : Hon Nick Goiran
did not stop there. On 22 June in the Legislative Council, he said —
Another program, which is intended
for years 8, 9 and 10, is called Building Respectful Relationships. I had a look
at the Building Respectful Relationships program because it is an example of
something that I would not want our new government to spend one cent on.
We know who really runs the Liberal
Party; it is Hon Nick Goiran and his bunch of hoodlums in ''The Clan''.
They are the ones who are calling the shots opposite. That is really what would
happen if that lot ever got back into government. They see these programs
around respectful relationships as brainwashing.
Ms L. Mettam : You just talk
about them.
Mr R.H. COOK : No, member, we
are implementing it. That was the problem the Liberal Party had; we are
implementing these programs to continue to educate kids about respectful relationships,
and making kids in high school understand the importance of respectful
relationships and conducting themselves in an appropriate manner. Those are the
things that are opposed by members on the Liberal Party's side of the
political fence. They oppose them. Hon Nick Goiran, who we know runs the
Liberal Party, has put that in bright lights under a full banner of attention
to say that if the Liberal Party ever got a chance to get back into government,
it would dismantle these important programs.
The SPEAKER : Before I give
the call to the member for Bateman, just as I require short, sharp questions
for supplementaries, I also require shorter
answers to supplementaries. The Premier, in this circumstance, was interjected on so many times and provoked in so many ways that I allowed the answer to
continue, but this is a reminder on supplementaries that questions need to be
short and sharp, and answers need to be briefer than the answer to the first
question.
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