❓ The Minister for Police addresses a question regarding legislation to assist sexual assault victims in remote WA, focusing on enabling nurses and other health professionals to collect forensic samples. The response includes discussion of the bill's history and a plea for bipartisan support.
AnsweredQoN 713Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
SEXUAL ASSAULT VICTIMS — REMOTE AND REGIONAL AREAS ASSISTANCE
As a regional member, I was very interested to learn during the minister’s brief ministerial statement last Tuesday that the state government was planning on introducing legislation into state Parliament to assist sexual assault victims in country WA. Can the minister please inform the house how this will be achieved, particularly in remote areas of the Mid West and other regional areas? Mr R.F. JOHNSON
As a regional member, I was very interested to learn during the minister’s brief ministerial statement last Tuesday that the state government was planning on introducing legislation into state Parliament to assist sexual assault victims in country WA. Can the minister please inform the house how this will be achieved, particularly in remote areas of the Mid West and other regional areas? Mr R.F. JOHNSON
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Geraldton for the question. I know that he has a very keen interest in this area. I did make a brief ministerial statement and I have introduced legislation into this Parliament that will enable not only doctors but also other health professionals such as nurses to take intimate forensic samples from victims of sexual assault. The history of it goes back about four years when my colleague the member for Joondalup was the Chairman of the Community Development and Justice Standing Committee. Ms M.M. Quirk : It was two years. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It was four years ago. Ms M.M. Quirk : The report was tabled in 2008. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I do not want there to be an argument between the member for Girrawheen and the member for Joondalup. She has enough trouble with the member for Mindarie; I do not want to make that argument larger. The point that the member for Joondalup was making is that that committee started looking into that matter. We came down with a report once we had investigated that matter. As the member for Joondalup knows, it was a very good working committee. The subcommittee of that working committee comprised the former member for Maylands, Hon Judy Edwards, who was extremely useful and had great expertise on that committee, the member for Churchlands and me. During that time we were approached by many women from regional and remote areas of WA who told us that they had serious problems because when they, their friends or their family members were subject to sexual abuse, rape and so on, there were no people in the regional and remote areas with the expertise to take the forensic samples that were necessary for a prosecution. Ms M.M. Quirk : The funding is PCYC funding. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Does the member for Girrawheen not think it important that we are addressing the issues of sexual assault victims? The member just wants to make a silly political point about something else. If she wants to ask me a question, she should ask it. She should not take out her frustrations on me because she does not like the member for Mindarie. That is just not good enough. I know that the Leader of the Opposition will not listen to the member for Mindarie, and the member for Mindarie should not expect me to either. I would be delighted to answer the question if the Leader of the Opposition could keep his feral members quiet because it is a good question, and this government has done something about it. I have introduced into Parliament legislation that I hope and assume will get the support of the opposition. I cannot believe for a minute that the opposition would oppose legislation that would help sexual assault victims, but we never know these days because the opposition backflips on so many things. I wonder whether it will backflip on this as well. Perhaps I can get a commitment from the opposition about whether it will pass that bill very quickly—within 30 minutes—at some stage. It is a very simple bill that just adds two words to the existing act. Hopefully, we can put in place as quickly as possible the support that is needed for those sexual assault victims in remote and regional areas.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON replied: I thank the member for Geraldton for the question. I know that he has a very keen interest in this area. I did make a brief ministerial statement and I have introduced legislation into this Parliament that will enable not only doctors but also other health professionals such as nurses to take intimate forensic samples from victims of sexual assault. The history of it goes back about four years when my colleague the member for Joondalup was the Chairman of the Community Development and Justice Standing Committee. Ms M.M. Quirk : It was two years. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It was four years ago. Ms M.M. Quirk : The report was tabled in 2008. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I do not want there to be an argument between the member for Girrawheen and the member for Joondalup. She has enough trouble with the member for Mindarie; I do not want to make that argument larger. The point that the member for Joondalup was making is that that committee started looking into that matter. We came down with a report once we had investigated that matter. As the member for Joondalup knows, it was a very good working committee. The subcommittee of that working committee comprised the former member for Maylands, Hon Judy Edwards, who was extremely useful and had great expertise on that committee, the member for Churchlands and me. During that time we were approached by many women from regional and remote areas of WA who told us that they had serious problems because when they, their friends or their family members were subject to sexual abuse, rape and so on, there were no people in the regional and remote areas with the expertise to take the forensic samples that were necessary for a prosecution. Ms M.M. Quirk : The funding is PCYC funding. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Does the member for Girrawheen not think it important that we are addressing the issues of sexual assault victims? The member just wants to make a silly political point about something else. If she wants to ask me a question, she should ask it. She should not take out her frustrations on me because she does not like the member for Mindarie. That is just not good enough. I know that the Leader of the Opposition will not listen to the member for Mindarie, and the member for Mindarie should not expect me to either. I would be delighted to answer the question if the Leader of the Opposition could keep his feral members quiet because it is a good question, and this government has done something about it. I have introduced into Parliament legislation that I hope and assume will get the support of the opposition. I cannot believe for a minute that the opposition would oppose legislation that would help sexual assault victims, but we never know these days because the opposition backflips on so many things. I wonder whether it will backflip on this as well. Perhaps I can get a commitment from the opposition about whether it will pass that bill very quickly—within 30 minutes—at some stage. It is a very simple bill that just adds two words to the existing act. Hopefully, we can put in place as quickly as possible the support that is needed for those sexual assault victims in remote and regional areas.
I thank the member for Geraldton for the question. I know that he has a very keen interest in this area. I did make a brief ministerial statement and I have introduced legislation into this Parliament that will enable not only doctors but also other health professionals such as nurses to take intimate forensic samples from victims of sexual assault. The history of it goes back about four years when my colleague the member for Joondalup was the Chairman of the Community Development and Justice Standing Committee. Ms M.M. Quirk : It was two years. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It was four years ago. Ms M.M. Quirk : The report was tabled in 2008. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I do not want there to be an argument between the member for Girrawheen and the member for Joondalup. She has enough trouble with the member for Mindarie; I do not want to make that argument larger. The point that the member for Joondalup was making is that that committee started looking into that matter. We came down with a report once we had investigated that matter. As the member for Joondalup knows, it was a very good working committee. The subcommittee of that working committee comprised the former member for Maylands, Hon Judy Edwards, who was extremely useful and had great expertise on that committee, the member for Churchlands and me. During that time we were approached by many women from regional and remote areas of WA who told us that they had serious problems because when they, their friends or their family members were subject to sexual abuse, rape and so on, there were no people in the regional and remote areas with the expertise to take the forensic samples that were necessary for a prosecution. Ms M.M. Quirk : The funding is PCYC funding. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Does the member for Girrawheen not think it important that we are addressing the issues of sexual assault victims? The member just wants to make a silly political point about something else. If she wants to ask me a question, she should ask it. She should not take out her frustrations on me because she does not like the member for Mindarie. That is just not good enough. I know that the Leader of the Opposition will not listen to the member for Mindarie, and the member for Mindarie should not expect me to either. I would be delighted to answer the question if the Leader of the Opposition could keep his feral members quiet because it is a good question, and this government has done something about it. I have introduced into Parliament legislation that I hope and assume will get the support of the opposition. I cannot believe for a minute that the opposition would oppose legislation that would help sexual assault victims, but we never know these days because the opposition backflips on so many things. I wonder whether it will backflip on this as well. Perhaps I can get a commitment from the opposition about whether it will pass that bill very quickly—within 30 minutes—at some stage. It is a very simple bill that just adds two words to the existing act. Hopefully, we can put in place as quickly as possible the support that is needed for those sexual assault victims in remote and regional areas.
Ms M.M. Quirk : It was two years. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It was four years ago. Ms M.M. Quirk : The report was tabled in 2008. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I do not want there to be an argument between the member for Girrawheen and the member for Joondalup. She has enough trouble with the member for Mindarie; I do not want to make that argument larger. The point that the member for Joondalup was making is that that committee started looking into that matter. We came down with a report once we had investigated that matter. As the member for Joondalup knows, it was a very good working committee. The subcommittee of that working committee comprised the former member for Maylands, Hon Judy Edwards, who was extremely useful and had great expertise on that committee, the member for Churchlands and me. During that time we were approached by many women from regional and remote areas of WA who told us that they had serious problems because when they, their friends or their family members were subject to sexual abuse, rape and so on, there were no people in the regional and remote areas with the expertise to take the forensic samples that were necessary for a prosecution. Ms M.M. Quirk : The funding is PCYC funding. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Does the member for Girrawheen not think it important that we are addressing the issues of sexual assault victims? The member just wants to make a silly political point about something else. If she wants to ask me a question, she should ask it. She should not take out her frustrations on me because she does not like the member for Mindarie. That is just not good enough. I know that the Leader of the Opposition will not listen to the member for Mindarie, and the member for Mindarie should not expect me to either. I would be delighted to answer the question if the Leader of the Opposition could keep his feral members quiet because it is a good question, and this government has done something about it. I have introduced into Parliament legislation that I hope and assume will get the support of the opposition. I cannot believe for a minute that the opposition would oppose legislation that would help sexual assault victims, but we never know these days because the opposition backflips on so many things. I wonder whether it will backflip on this as well. Perhaps I can get a commitment from the opposition about whether it will pass that bill very quickly—within 30 minutes—at some stage. It is a very simple bill that just adds two words to the existing act. Hopefully, we can put in place as quickly as possible the support that is needed for those sexual assault victims in remote and regional areas.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It was four years ago. Ms M.M. Quirk : The report was tabled in 2008. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I do not want there to be an argument between the member for Girrawheen and the member for Joondalup. She has enough trouble with the member for Mindarie; I do not want to make that argument larger. The point that the member for Joondalup was making is that that committee started looking into that matter. We came down with a report once we had investigated that matter. As the member for Joondalup knows, it was a very good working committee. The subcommittee of that working committee comprised the former member for Maylands, Hon Judy Edwards, who was extremely useful and had great expertise on that committee, the member for Churchlands and me. During that time we were approached by many women from regional and remote areas of WA who told us that they had serious problems because when they, their friends or their family members were subject to sexual abuse, rape and so on, there were no people in the regional and remote areas with the expertise to take the forensic samples that were necessary for a prosecution. Ms M.M. Quirk : The funding is PCYC funding. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Does the member for Girrawheen not think it important that we are addressing the issues of sexual assault victims? The member just wants to make a silly political point about something else. If she wants to ask me a question, she should ask it. She should not take out her frustrations on me because she does not like the member for Mindarie. That is just not good enough. I know that the Leader of the Opposition will not listen to the member for Mindarie, and the member for Mindarie should not expect me to either. I would be delighted to answer the question if the Leader of the Opposition could keep his feral members quiet because it is a good question, and this government has done something about it. I have introduced into Parliament legislation that I hope and assume will get the support of the opposition. I cannot believe for a minute that the opposition would oppose legislation that would help sexual assault victims, but we never know these days because the opposition backflips on so many things. I wonder whether it will backflip on this as well. Perhaps I can get a commitment from the opposition about whether it will pass that bill very quickly—within 30 minutes—at some stage. It is a very simple bill that just adds two words to the existing act. Hopefully, we can put in place as quickly as possible the support that is needed for those sexual assault victims in remote and regional areas.
Ms M.M. Quirk : The report was tabled in 2008. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I do not want there to be an argument between the member for Girrawheen and the member for Joondalup. She has enough trouble with the member for Mindarie; I do not want to make that argument larger. The point that the member for Joondalup was making is that that committee started looking into that matter. We came down with a report once we had investigated that matter. As the member for Joondalup knows, it was a very good working committee. The subcommittee of that working committee comprised the former member for Maylands, Hon Judy Edwards, who was extremely useful and had great expertise on that committee, the member for Churchlands and me. During that time we were approached by many women from regional and remote areas of WA who told us that they had serious problems because when they, their friends or their family members were subject to sexual abuse, rape and so on, there were no people in the regional and remote areas with the expertise to take the forensic samples that were necessary for a prosecution. Ms M.M. Quirk : The funding is PCYC funding. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Does the member for Girrawheen not think it important that we are addressing the issues of sexual assault victims? The member just wants to make a silly political point about something else. If she wants to ask me a question, she should ask it. She should not take out her frustrations on me because she does not like the member for Mindarie. That is just not good enough. I know that the Leader of the Opposition will not listen to the member for Mindarie, and the member for Mindarie should not expect me to either. I would be delighted to answer the question if the Leader of the Opposition could keep his feral members quiet because it is a good question, and this government has done something about it. I have introduced into Parliament legislation that I hope and assume will get the support of the opposition. I cannot believe for a minute that the opposition would oppose legislation that would help sexual assault victims, but we never know these days because the opposition backflips on so many things. I wonder whether it will backflip on this as well. Perhaps I can get a commitment from the opposition about whether it will pass that bill very quickly—within 30 minutes—at some stage. It is a very simple bill that just adds two words to the existing act. Hopefully, we can put in place as quickly as possible the support that is needed for those sexual assault victims in remote and regional areas.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I do not want there to be an argument between the member for Girrawheen and the member for Joondalup. She has enough trouble with the member for Mindarie; I do not want to make that argument larger. The point that the member for Joondalup was making is that that committee started looking into that matter. We came down with a report once we had investigated that matter. As the member for Joondalup knows, it was a very good working committee. The subcommittee of that working committee comprised the former member for Maylands, Hon Judy Edwards, who was extremely useful and had great expertise on that committee, the member for Churchlands and me. During that time we were approached by many women from regional and remote areas of WA who told us that they had serious problems because when they, their friends or their family members were subject to sexual abuse, rape and so on, there were no people in the regional and remote areas with the expertise to take the forensic samples that were necessary for a prosecution. Ms M.M. Quirk : The funding is PCYC funding. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Does the member for Girrawheen not think it important that we are addressing the issues of sexual assault victims? The member just wants to make a silly political point about something else. If she wants to ask me a question, she should ask it. She should not take out her frustrations on me because she does not like the member for Mindarie. That is just not good enough. I know that the Leader of the Opposition will not listen to the member for Mindarie, and the member for Mindarie should not expect me to either. I would be delighted to answer the question if the Leader of the Opposition could keep his feral members quiet because it is a good question, and this government has done something about it. I have introduced into Parliament legislation that I hope and assume will get the support of the opposition. I cannot believe for a minute that the opposition would oppose legislation that would help sexual assault victims, but we never know these days because the opposition backflips on so many things. I wonder whether it will backflip on this as well. Perhaps I can get a commitment from the opposition about whether it will pass that bill very quickly—within 30 minutes—at some stage. It is a very simple bill that just adds two words to the existing act. Hopefully, we can put in place as quickly as possible the support that is needed for those sexual assault victims in remote and regional areas.
Ms M.M. Quirk : The funding is PCYC funding. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Does the member for Girrawheen not think it important that we are addressing the issues of sexual assault victims? The member just wants to make a silly political point about something else. If she wants to ask me a question, she should ask it. She should not take out her frustrations on me because she does not like the member for Mindarie. That is just not good enough. I know that the Leader of the Opposition will not listen to the member for Mindarie, and the member for Mindarie should not expect me to either. I would be delighted to answer the question if the Leader of the Opposition could keep his feral members quiet because it is a good question, and this government has done something about it. I have introduced into Parliament legislation that I hope and assume will get the support of the opposition. I cannot believe for a minute that the opposition would oppose legislation that would help sexual assault victims, but we never know these days because the opposition backflips on so many things. I wonder whether it will backflip on this as well. Perhaps I can get a commitment from the opposition about whether it will pass that bill very quickly—within 30 minutes—at some stage. It is a very simple bill that just adds two words to the existing act. Hopefully, we can put in place as quickly as possible the support that is needed for those sexual assault victims in remote and regional areas.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Does the member for Girrawheen not think it important that we are addressing the issues of sexual assault victims? The member just wants to make a silly political point about something else. If she wants to ask me a question, she should ask it. She should not take out her frustrations on me because she does not like the member for Mindarie. That is just not good enough. I know that the Leader of the Opposition will not listen to the member for Mindarie, and the member for Mindarie should not expect me to either. I would be delighted to answer the question if the Leader of the Opposition could keep his feral members quiet because it is a good question, and this government has done something about it. I have introduced into Parliament legislation that I hope and assume will get the support of the opposition. I cannot believe for a minute that the opposition would oppose legislation that would help sexual assault victims, but we never know these days because the opposition backflips on so many things. I wonder whether it will backflip on this as well. Perhaps I can get a commitment from the opposition about whether it will pass that bill very quickly—within 30 minutes—at some stage. It is a very simple bill that just adds two words to the existing act. Hopefully, we can put in place as quickly as possible the support that is needed for those sexual assault victims in remote and regional areas.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON replied: I thank the member for Geraldton for the question. I know that he has a very keen interest in this area. I did make a brief ministerial statement and I have introduced legislation into this Parliament that will enable not only doctors but also other health professionals such as nurses to take intimate forensic samples from victims of sexual assault. The history of it goes back about four years when my colleague the member for Joondalup was the Chairman of the Community Development and Justice Standing Committee. Ms M.M. Quirk : It was two years. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It was four years ago. Ms M.M. Quirk : The report was tabled in 2008. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I do not want there to be an argument between the member for Girrawheen and the member for Joondalup. She has enough trouble with the member for Mindarie; I do not want to make that argument larger. The point that the member for Joondalup was making is that that committee started looking into that matter. We came down with a report once we had investigated that matter. As the member for Joondalup knows, it was a very good working committee. The subcommittee of that working committee comprised the former member for Maylands, Hon Judy Edwards, who was extremely useful and had great expertise on that committee, the member for Churchlands and me. During that time we were approached by many women from regional and remote areas of WA who told us that they had serious problems because when they, their friends or their family members were subject to sexual abuse, rape and so on, there were no people in the regional and remote areas with the expertise to take the forensic samples that were necessary for a prosecution. Ms M.M. Quirk : The funding is PCYC funding. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Does the member for Girrawheen not think it important that we are addressing the issues of sexual assault victims? The member just wants to make a silly political point about something else. If she wants to ask me a question, she should ask it. She should not take out her frustrations on me because she does not like the member for Mindarie. That is just not good enough. I know that the Leader of the Opposition will not listen to the member for Mindarie, and the member for Mindarie should not expect me to either. I would be delighted to answer the question if the Leader of the Opposition could keep his feral members quiet because it is a good question, and this government has done something about it. I have introduced into Parliament legislation that I hope and assume will get the support of the opposition. I cannot believe for a minute that the opposition would oppose legislation that would help sexual assault victims, but we never know these days because the opposition backflips on so many things. I wonder whether it will backflip on this as well. Perhaps I can get a commitment from the opposition about whether it will pass that bill very quickly—within 30 minutes—at some stage. It is a very simple bill that just adds two words to the existing act. Hopefully, we can put in place as quickly as possible the support that is needed for those sexual assault victims in remote and regional areas.
I thank the member for Geraldton for the question. I know that he has a very keen interest in this area. I did make a brief ministerial statement and I have introduced legislation into this Parliament that will enable not only doctors but also other health professionals such as nurses to take intimate forensic samples from victims of sexual assault. The history of it goes back about four years when my colleague the member for Joondalup was the Chairman of the Community Development and Justice Standing Committee. Ms M.M. Quirk : It was two years. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It was four years ago. Ms M.M. Quirk : The report was tabled in 2008. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I do not want there to be an argument between the member for Girrawheen and the member for Joondalup. She has enough trouble with the member for Mindarie; I do not want to make that argument larger. The point that the member for Joondalup was making is that that committee started looking into that matter. We came down with a report once we had investigated that matter. As the member for Joondalup knows, it was a very good working committee. The subcommittee of that working committee comprised the former member for Maylands, Hon Judy Edwards, who was extremely useful and had great expertise on that committee, the member for Churchlands and me. During that time we were approached by many women from regional and remote areas of WA who told us that they had serious problems because when they, their friends or their family members were subject to sexual abuse, rape and so on, there were no people in the regional and remote areas with the expertise to take the forensic samples that were necessary for a prosecution. Ms M.M. Quirk : The funding is PCYC funding. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Does the member for Girrawheen not think it important that we are addressing the issues of sexual assault victims? The member just wants to make a silly political point about something else. If she wants to ask me a question, she should ask it. She should not take out her frustrations on me because she does not like the member for Mindarie. That is just not good enough. I know that the Leader of the Opposition will not listen to the member for Mindarie, and the member for Mindarie should not expect me to either. I would be delighted to answer the question if the Leader of the Opposition could keep his feral members quiet because it is a good question, and this government has done something about it. I have introduced into Parliament legislation that I hope and assume will get the support of the opposition. I cannot believe for a minute that the opposition would oppose legislation that would help sexual assault victims, but we never know these days because the opposition backflips on so many things. I wonder whether it will backflip on this as well. Perhaps I can get a commitment from the opposition about whether it will pass that bill very quickly—within 30 minutes—at some stage. It is a very simple bill that just adds two words to the existing act. Hopefully, we can put in place as quickly as possible the support that is needed for those sexual assault victims in remote and regional areas.
Ms M.M. Quirk : It was two years. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It was four years ago. Ms M.M. Quirk : The report was tabled in 2008. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I do not want there to be an argument between the member for Girrawheen and the member for Joondalup. She has enough trouble with the member for Mindarie; I do not want to make that argument larger. The point that the member for Joondalup was making is that that committee started looking into that matter. We came down with a report once we had investigated that matter. As the member for Joondalup knows, it was a very good working committee. The subcommittee of that working committee comprised the former member for Maylands, Hon Judy Edwards, who was extremely useful and had great expertise on that committee, the member for Churchlands and me. During that time we were approached by many women from regional and remote areas of WA who told us that they had serious problems because when they, their friends or their family members were subject to sexual abuse, rape and so on, there were no people in the regional and remote areas with the expertise to take the forensic samples that were necessary for a prosecution. Ms M.M. Quirk : The funding is PCYC funding. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Does the member for Girrawheen not think it important that we are addressing the issues of sexual assault victims? The member just wants to make a silly political point about something else. If she wants to ask me a question, she should ask it. She should not take out her frustrations on me because she does not like the member for Mindarie. That is just not good enough. I know that the Leader of the Opposition will not listen to the member for Mindarie, and the member for Mindarie should not expect me to either. I would be delighted to answer the question if the Leader of the Opposition could keep his feral members quiet because it is a good question, and this government has done something about it. I have introduced into Parliament legislation that I hope and assume will get the support of the opposition. I cannot believe for a minute that the opposition would oppose legislation that would help sexual assault victims, but we never know these days because the opposition backflips on so many things. I wonder whether it will backflip on this as well. Perhaps I can get a commitment from the opposition about whether it will pass that bill very quickly—within 30 minutes—at some stage. It is a very simple bill that just adds two words to the existing act. Hopefully, we can put in place as quickly as possible the support that is needed for those sexual assault victims in remote and regional areas.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It was four years ago. Ms M.M. Quirk : The report was tabled in 2008. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I do not want there to be an argument between the member for Girrawheen and the member for Joondalup. She has enough trouble with the member for Mindarie; I do not want to make that argument larger. The point that the member for Joondalup was making is that that committee started looking into that matter. We came down with a report once we had investigated that matter. As the member for Joondalup knows, it was a very good working committee. The subcommittee of that working committee comprised the former member for Maylands, Hon Judy Edwards, who was extremely useful and had great expertise on that committee, the member for Churchlands and me. During that time we were approached by many women from regional and remote areas of WA who told us that they had serious problems because when they, their friends or their family members were subject to sexual abuse, rape and so on, there were no people in the regional and remote areas with the expertise to take the forensic samples that were necessary for a prosecution. Ms M.M. Quirk : The funding is PCYC funding. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Does the member for Girrawheen not think it important that we are addressing the issues of sexual assault victims? The member just wants to make a silly political point about something else. If she wants to ask me a question, she should ask it. She should not take out her frustrations on me because she does not like the member for Mindarie. That is just not good enough. I know that the Leader of the Opposition will not listen to the member for Mindarie, and the member for Mindarie should not expect me to either. I would be delighted to answer the question if the Leader of the Opposition could keep his feral members quiet because it is a good question, and this government has done something about it. I have introduced into Parliament legislation that I hope and assume will get the support of the opposition. I cannot believe for a minute that the opposition would oppose legislation that would help sexual assault victims, but we never know these days because the opposition backflips on so many things. I wonder whether it will backflip on this as well. Perhaps I can get a commitment from the opposition about whether it will pass that bill very quickly—within 30 minutes—at some stage. It is a very simple bill that just adds two words to the existing act. Hopefully, we can put in place as quickly as possible the support that is needed for those sexual assault victims in remote and regional areas.
Ms M.M. Quirk : The report was tabled in 2008. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I do not want there to be an argument between the member for Girrawheen and the member for Joondalup. She has enough trouble with the member for Mindarie; I do not want to make that argument larger. The point that the member for Joondalup was making is that that committee started looking into that matter. We came down with a report once we had investigated that matter. As the member for Joondalup knows, it was a very good working committee. The subcommittee of that working committee comprised the former member for Maylands, Hon Judy Edwards, who was extremely useful and had great expertise on that committee, the member for Churchlands and me. During that time we were approached by many women from regional and remote areas of WA who told us that they had serious problems because when they, their friends or their family members were subject to sexual abuse, rape and so on, there were no people in the regional and remote areas with the expertise to take the forensic samples that were necessary for a prosecution. Ms M.M. Quirk : The funding is PCYC funding. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Does the member for Girrawheen not think it important that we are addressing the issues of sexual assault victims? The member just wants to make a silly political point about something else. If she wants to ask me a question, she should ask it. She should not take out her frustrations on me because she does not like the member for Mindarie. That is just not good enough. I know that the Leader of the Opposition will not listen to the member for Mindarie, and the member for Mindarie should not expect me to either. I would be delighted to answer the question if the Leader of the Opposition could keep his feral members quiet because it is a good question, and this government has done something about it. I have introduced into Parliament legislation that I hope and assume will get the support of the opposition. I cannot believe for a minute that the opposition would oppose legislation that would help sexual assault victims, but we never know these days because the opposition backflips on so many things. I wonder whether it will backflip on this as well. Perhaps I can get a commitment from the opposition about whether it will pass that bill very quickly—within 30 minutes—at some stage. It is a very simple bill that just adds two words to the existing act. Hopefully, we can put in place as quickly as possible the support that is needed for those sexual assault victims in remote and regional areas.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I do not want there to be an argument between the member for Girrawheen and the member for Joondalup. She has enough trouble with the member for Mindarie; I do not want to make that argument larger. The point that the member for Joondalup was making is that that committee started looking into that matter. We came down with a report once we had investigated that matter. As the member for Joondalup knows, it was a very good working committee. The subcommittee of that working committee comprised the former member for Maylands, Hon Judy Edwards, who was extremely useful and had great expertise on that committee, the member for Churchlands and me. During that time we were approached by many women from regional and remote areas of WA who told us that they had serious problems because when they, their friends or their family members were subject to sexual abuse, rape and so on, there were no people in the regional and remote areas with the expertise to take the forensic samples that were necessary for a prosecution. Ms M.M. Quirk : The funding is PCYC funding. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Does the member for Girrawheen not think it important that we are addressing the issues of sexual assault victims? The member just wants to make a silly political point about something else. If she wants to ask me a question, she should ask it. She should not take out her frustrations on me because she does not like the member for Mindarie. That is just not good enough. I know that the Leader of the Opposition will not listen to the member for Mindarie, and the member for Mindarie should not expect me to either. I would be delighted to answer the question if the Leader of the Opposition could keep his feral members quiet because it is a good question, and this government has done something about it. I have introduced into Parliament legislation that I hope and assume will get the support of the opposition. I cannot believe for a minute that the opposition would oppose legislation that would help sexual assault victims, but we never know these days because the opposition backflips on so many things. I wonder whether it will backflip on this as well. Perhaps I can get a commitment from the opposition about whether it will pass that bill very quickly—within 30 minutes—at some stage. It is a very simple bill that just adds two words to the existing act. Hopefully, we can put in place as quickly as possible the support that is needed for those sexual assault victims in remote and regional areas.
Ms M.M. Quirk : The funding is PCYC funding. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Does the member for Girrawheen not think it important that we are addressing the issues of sexual assault victims? The member just wants to make a silly political point about something else. If she wants to ask me a question, she should ask it. She should not take out her frustrations on me because she does not like the member for Mindarie. That is just not good enough. I know that the Leader of the Opposition will not listen to the member for Mindarie, and the member for Mindarie should not expect me to either. I would be delighted to answer the question if the Leader of the Opposition could keep his feral members quiet because it is a good question, and this government has done something about it. I have introduced into Parliament legislation that I hope and assume will get the support of the opposition. I cannot believe for a minute that the opposition would oppose legislation that would help sexual assault victims, but we never know these days because the opposition backflips on so many things. I wonder whether it will backflip on this as well. Perhaps I can get a commitment from the opposition about whether it will pass that bill very quickly—within 30 minutes—at some stage. It is a very simple bill that just adds two words to the existing act. Hopefully, we can put in place as quickly as possible the support that is needed for those sexual assault victims in remote and regional areas.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Does the member for Girrawheen not think it important that we are addressing the issues of sexual assault victims? The member just wants to make a silly political point about something else. If she wants to ask me a question, she should ask it. She should not take out her frustrations on me because she does not like the member for Mindarie. That is just not good enough. I know that the Leader of the Opposition will not listen to the member for Mindarie, and the member for Mindarie should not expect me to either. I would be delighted to answer the question if the Leader of the Opposition could keep his feral members quiet because it is a good question, and this government has done something about it. I have introduced into Parliament legislation that I hope and assume will get the support of the opposition. I cannot believe for a minute that the opposition would oppose legislation that would help sexual assault victims, but we never know these days because the opposition backflips on so many things. I wonder whether it will backflip on this as well. Perhaps I can get a commitment from the opposition about whether it will pass that bill very quickly—within 30 minutes—at some stage. It is a very simple bill that just adds two words to the existing act. Hopefully, we can put in place as quickly as possible the support that is needed for those sexual assault victims in remote and regional areas.
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